


True Aspirations | Part 1

by Yunime



Series: True Aspirations [1]
Category: Original Work, True Aspirations
Genre: Angst and Drama, Childhood Friends, Comedy, Coming of Age, Developing Friendships, Dialogue Heavy, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, LGBTQ Themes, Original Character(s), POV Third Person, School, Slice of Life, Slurs, Swearing, Teenage Drama, Weekly Updates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 41
Words: 184,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23915725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yunime/pseuds/Yunime
Summary: In a corrupt world where everyone's school lives are harder than ever, True Aspirations is a story about a group of middle school students coming together to make friends, and aspire to give everyone in their school a fun and exciting experience. Chaos, drama, and difficult decisions may block their paths, but the challenges that come with their every-day lives just make things even more interesting.
Series: True Aspirations [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1754635
Kudos: 16





	1. Past Aspirations (Part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”  
> – Hariet Tubman

It was a pleasant, yet short-lived sunny day, for dark, grey storm clouds were starting to appear in the blue sky. Therefore, the school bell had rung a bit earlier than usual, announcing the classes’ dismissal. A multitude of students excitedly left their colorful classrooms, and stepped out into the hallways, as some decided to stay inside and talk to their friends. Sitting at their desks were two young girls, around the same age. One was sitting behind the other, and played with her pink hair, which was styled in pigtails. She had wide, cerise-colored eyes which glistened in the night, and fair skin. The girl in front of her had feminine, amethyst eyes, and wavy violet hair. She turned around in her seat to face the other girl, and tapped her desk.

“I’m so glad class is over, I’ve been wanting to talk to you this whole time.” 

“Man, really? I didn’t think I was that cool looking...!” The pink-haired girl egotistically piped, smiling widely. 

“Yeah, you seem really nice! My name is Miette, but a lot of people just call me ‘Mimi.’” She kneeled in closer towards the girl, and asked, “What’s yours?” 

“I’m Lisa, it’s nice to meet ya!” 

“Nice to meet you too! So, what do you think of this school? It’s your first day here, isn’t it?” 

“It was great! I actually moved in from Japan with my friend a little while ago, so I’ve never been to a school in America.”

Miette exclaimed, “Well, you’re in luck! Us 5th graders have a lot of cool stuff to do everyday, and our teachers are neat, too. But, for some reason, it isn’t the same for classes in secondary.”

“What do you mean? Is it bad, or something?” Lisa raised her eyebrow in confusion.

“I honestly have no idea, ‘cuz we’re still in elementary. I don’t know what it’s like over in the other building, but there have been all sorts of rumors being passed around.”

“Like what?”

“Someone from 7th grade told some friends of mine that a kid tried to light a firework in the boy’s bathroom. Isn’t that crazy?”

“Are you serious?” Lisa gasped. “That sounds so weird!”

“I know, right? And it gets worse, too. Apparently, a lot of fights break out, and if you’re not popular, you’ll get bullied. The middle school staff are a bit laid-back, and usually don’t even care about anything. And get this, there’s a ton of drama between the kids, and even clubs, too!” 

“That sounds scary… I don’t think I wanna go to middle school anymore.” Lisa thought, Wait, no, I need to look on the bright side! She nervously laughed, “At least not everyone is bad, right?”

“Maybe. But I dunno, that’s just what I’ve heard. Maybe you’ll get lucky!”

“I hope so! I just wanna have fun and stuff. Do you think that I’d be popular?”

“Of course!” Miette tugged on Lisa’s sleeve, “You’re like the cutest girl in this class! I bet you’d be really popular with the boys.” She giggled, smiling softly.

“Nah, no way…” Lisa thought over what Miette said before, and blurted, bragging, “Or, yes way! I’ve got it! I just gotta keep being the cutest girl in class, so that way, I’ll survive middle school! How does that sound?”

“Perfect, a plan that won’t fail.” Miette reassured her. “I hope you end up having a great time here, I meant it. This school is awesome.” 

“Thanks, Miette! Hey, what kind of stuff are you into?”

“Hmm, well, I’m in the Chemistry Club.” 

Lisa’s eyes widened in surprise, “Really? You can be in a club at this grade?”

“Yup! At this school, if you have good grades, then you’ll be allowed to enter a club by the time you reach 5th grade. I got accepted into the club, but the room isn’t set up yet, since it’s their first year. In 4th grade, I just knew someone who said to me, ‘Hey, I’m gonna make a Chemistry Club next year, do you wanna join?’ And I said yes.”

“That’s neat! Man, I wonder which one I should join…” Lisa pensively looked up to the ceiling, lost in thought.

“There’s plenty of time to think! The year just started, after all! I’m sure that you’ll be able to find one soon.”

“Thanks!” She flattered, “Hey, maybe I’ll just join the Chemistry Club so I can see you after school.”

“Sounds good!” Miette looked up at the clock, and abruptly left her seat. “Anyway, I have to meet up with my art teacher right now. I’ll see you tomorrow, Lisa!”

“See you!” 

Miette waved goodbye, scooted her chair in, and exited the classroom, leaving Lisa with nobody to speak with. Lisa figured that she should socialize with the other students, but she’d leave that for the next day.

“She seems really nice.” She spoke to herself. “I hope the rumors aren’t true… Wait a minute, after school?! I almost forgot, my mom is waiting outside!” She hastily got up from her chair, and ran out of the room, clumsily bumping into some of the desks on her way. “S-Sorry!” She grabbed her backpack from the cubby, and made her way into the hallway, only to be surrounded by multiple students gathering around, either going to certain classrooms, or heading outside to go home. 

Accidentally running into a student, she gasped, “Gah, sorry! I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s fine, are you alright?” The student questioned. 

Lisa internally squealed, _Woah, he looks cute!_ She eventually snapped out of her trance and got up. _N-No, wait, I’m getting sidetracked!_

“Yeah, I’m good. I have to get to my mom, see ya!” Without any explanation, she ran outside, escaping the large crowd of people.

“Wait, I need to-“ The student sighed, “Oh well, I’ll talk to her later. This is gonna take forever anyway. I bet sis doesn’t even have a plan.” He walked to the front doors, and exited the building. 

*****

In the middle of Springfield, Missouri, a peaceful place abundant with beautiful neighborhoods and sights, is where Springfield Academy has been built. It's a school that has existed for decades, and has always been filled with satisfied teachers, parents, and students. Until now.

Just like with any other school, you could walk around the school building aimlessly, yet still see students exchanging numbers, fighting with each other, and just them doing what kids do. But lately, it's been worse. It used to be quite the strict school, but ever since the staff (especially the principal) have started being more laid-back, chaos ensues every day. Just about anything is made a big deal. From what someone said the other day, to volunteering for just about anything. You'd have to look carefully to spot any mature or high-scoring students who weren't willing to get in a fight. For them, the only time they can get a break is during the weekend.

And so, it's currently September 2nd, and on a day like any other, the two siblings Ruby and Rudy, belonging to the Myers family, were playing video games together on a Sunday.  
"That's the third time I've beaten you!" Ruby happily exclaimed, patting her brother on the back. She laid back onto the couch, laying the controller down.

"Oh well. I guess you've just always been a natural at this. I bet you could beat Dad one day." Rudy calmly stated with a smile on his face. "Nevermind that, I'm glad you're having fun. It's been getting really boring… Even on the weekends."

Ruby sprang up, "I know right? There's just nothing fun to do anymore! I wanna obey Mom, since she told us to not play for so long, but what else are we supposed to do? Just lie around?"

"There's no need to complain. We could just go and clean our rooms.” Rudy suggested. “Mama told us to do that earlier, anyway.”

"There’s nothing to clean, though… Oh, I got it! The last time we played in the yard, I left some stuff out there. That’s another thing we can do, right?"

"Yeah, it’ll help time go by a bit faster."

"Well, let’s go then!"

Ruby hopped off the couch and walked up to her gaming console to turn it off. Walking up the stairs, they both arrived at their rather spacious room, and started with cleaning their desks.

It didn't take too long to tidy up. After all, the Myers' household was quite neat. No, it wasn't just a regular household. They were the richest family in that area, and owned a very expensive house that was built for themselves. It looked like a mansion to the neighbors (since it was one), but to them, it was just a regular house. Ruby is quite proud of her family's wealth, but doesn’t brag about it too much. However, Rudy just belittles the fact, and prefers to not speak of it.

Once they finished cleaning their room, Ruby ran back down the stairs, as Rudy carefully followed behind her. They both made it to the yard, and started picking up a few toys. Ruby likes to practice her soccer-playing, and often brings some toys outside for their house guests to use, if they have a small kid. They took a shorter amount of time than expected, and went back inside, walking to their rooms.

Once they arrived, the two siblings laid down onto the floor, and had a few minutes of silence to break. Ruby looked up at the ceiling and repetitively tapped the floor, as Rudy noticed a book beside him and grabbed it. Flipping through the pages, he wasn't in the mood for it, so he neatly put it back to the side. Apparently, it's been boring for them the whole entire year, ever since Rudy graduated elementary school, that is. Ruby had just remembered about the suggestion she told him not too long ago, and wanted to see if he remembered, not just for the sake of small talk.

"Hey bro, how's it going with your friends at school? Any drama?" She asked, turning her head to face him.

Rudy replied, "Well, I haven't made any friends at all, but school is going fine, I guess."

Wait, what? Ruby paused. Didn't he have all sorts of people surrounding him the other day? Wasn't he popular? Was _everything_ a lie?

"Funny joke," Ruby muttered, slightly chuckling. "But for real, that makes no sense! I thought everything was going well?!" She sat up, turning to face her brother.

"I mean, there are people who like to hang around me, but I doubt they'll try to get to know me." Rudy looked to the side, laughing it off. "It's fine, I told you to stop wo—“  
Ruby quickly grabbed Rudy by the shoulders and shook them, interrupting him.

"But it isn't fine! Why haven't you made a club already? That's the best way you can make friends with people this time around!" Rudy seemed unaffected by the sudden action. Ruby then backed off of him and mouthed 'sorry' before continuing. "Of course I would be worried about you. You've seemed so lonely these past few years, and I wanna make sure middle school doesn't suck for you. I've seen it in movies! And you don't wanna be in those movies!"

"I bet I don't. I honestly didn't think you were this concerned for me. You shouldn't be in the first place." Rudy smiled faintly.

"Well of course I am! Aren't I your little sister? Please take my advice, bro... Go and make a club or something! You won't regret it!" 

“What if I feel like that I will?”

“Then you’re just _wrong!”_

*****

And a day later, here we are now: September 3rd, on a Monday. No matter what Rudy tried to say, he ended up being convinced to make a club because of Ruby. Why was this a problem for him? Well, he hated attention. He usually tends to draw a lot of attention to himself for some reason, despite not even meaning to. He gets embarrassed by it very easily, so how would starting a club resolve this situation? It wouldn't, and that's his dilemma. As much as he wanted to make some friends, he also didn't want to embarrass himself at all costs.

The school day was mediocre. Any kid would agree, since everyone feels kinda off on a Monday. As per usual, he tried to not get any attention drawn to himself, but it's always bound to happen. Many have told him it's either because of his money or looks, but some say it's both.

Rudy quietly walked throughout the hallway to take a look at the club flyers that were on the pinboard, to get some ideas of his own. What would the club even be about, anyways? He was completely unaware of a mysterious girl that was watching him, standing by the corner of the hallway. She eventually left, and went inside a classroom. 

Exiting the school building and making his way to the schoolyard, he noticed someone sitting on the bench outside, all by themselves. All he knew is that they were incredibly tall, and looked like a boy. They were wearing a dark blue oversized sweater that Rudy assumed went over their school uniform, and a black baseball cap. They were seemingly reading a book, and weren't paying attention to anything else. Out of both concern and curiosity, Rudy sat next to the student.

"Hey, what's your name?" He asked. The student wasn't paying attention, and kept reading the book. Rudy tried again, asking, “Hello? You there? Can you hear me?"  
He tapped the student's shoulders, attempting to grab their attention. The student eventually looked up, and at last looked his way. They didn't respond, but their action was all Rudy needed to know that they were finally listening. 

"My name is Rudy. What's yours?" _No response._ “You seem quite lonely over here. It’s none of my business, but… What’re you reading?" _No response._ "Can you at least say something? Anything?" They shook their head, and it thankfully wasn't out of irritability. At least that was something. Rudy sighed but smiled again, "Haha, that's fine. I wasn't much of a talker when I enrolled into this school either. Say, I don't think I've seen you before."

He nervously laughed. What else? What was he supposed to say next? He hasn't really spoken with someone other than his sister like this in awhile. Although, his nerves went away a bit quicker. This person was a bit different. Despite their little-to-none responses, they seemed like an approachable person. A very _tall,_ approachable person.

"Nagisa.” The student spoke at last. "My name. It's Nagisa."

Rudy was happy to hear their reply. But he could've sworn he's heard that name being tossed around during school hours before. No, he definitely has. Everyone has.  
_The rumors._ In Middle School, everyone would know that having rumors being passed around about you was a normal thing, but at this school, it's lately been getting to an extreme level. Due to this, all sorts of drama would break loose. It was drama that Rudy didn't wanna be a part of. Was this why Nagisa wasn't being very responsive? Perhaps. They don't seem like a bad person though.

"It's nice to meet you Nagisa. Do you wanna chat for a little bit?" Rudy asked. Nagisa nodded, and waited for him to continue. "So, Nagisa, isn't that a foreign name?"

Nagisa replied, "Yes."

"Where from?"

"Japan."

"Were you born in Japan?"

"Yes."

"That's neat. Puerto Rico was my birthplace. Same for my sister."

A few seconds of silence fell upon them once again. Rudy's inability to start up a conversation and Nagisa's short answers were not a good mix. They both observed the area around them, noticing all the numerous friend groups either speaking with each other or leaving school, and club members planning their activities for the day. About a minute later, Rudy suddenly got an idea.

"You know," He brought up, "Have you ever thought of creating or joining a club? My sister really wants me to make one. Would you even be interested?" He waited a few seconds for a response, only to not receive one. "...That's what I thought." He mumbled.

 _It’s obvious,_ he thought, _Who’d join a club that’s made by me? I’m not even a good leader. Why am I doing this…?_

"Maybe," They replied, "You’re a nice person. I’ll join.”

Their voice was quite monotone, so Rudy couldn't tell if they really meant it or not, especially because this whole entire time there wasn't a single expression on their face. But he still took it.

"That's great! I'm glad at least one person would be interested." Rudy sighed in relief. "I guess I really should go through with this idea."  
Nagisa nodded in agreement, closing up their book.

If it's one thing Rudy had accomplished, it was that he finally made a proper new friend for the school year. He figured it might be difficult to understand each other, but eventually, everything would work out. This is the first time he's felt so comfortable speaking with someone other than his sister before, since most of the students at school bombard him with a bunch of questions, or are just noisy in general.

"So, do you have many friends? If that's the case, then you might be able to invite them." He asked out of curiosity.

"No. I have none."

They put a lot of emphasis on the word 'none,' which caused Rudy to feel worried. He knows how painful it is, and how difficult it must be for them. Sure, he was popular in class, but none of them were ever real friends. They'd never be willing to stand alongside him when he's feeling sad, and comfort him. Heck, they probably didn't even know his last name, or know that much about him.

"I see. We're both in a similar situation then. I want to make some friends as much as you do, I bet. But, we might be able to reach our goal through this club. What do you think?" Nagisa nodded happily in agreement, and put their book away. "So, I was thinking that we should start up by creating flyers, right? If so, then we should think of a few design ideas." Rudy immediately started brainstorming. Ruby always told him that he was the type to take initiative. "But I'm not that great at drawing or coming up with designs, so do you have any suggestions?"

Nagisa asked confusedly, "What’s it about?"

 _Of course... like every other club, we need some activities, right? Doing nothing can’t be one of them..._ Rudy brainstormed internally. _There's already a Music Club, so scratch that…_

What else was he into? He counted the number of hobbies he had in his head. _Writing music, drawing_ (even if he wasn't good at it), _playing video games, and watching TV._ Sadly, it was either that most of these hobbies already had a club for them, or they weren't good enough for a club to be formed based on those ideas. Perhaps he should just ask Nagisa what they're into? It'd be another opportunity to get to know them more, after all.

"Hey, Nagisa, what are you into?” Rudy asked.

"Hmm," Nagisa replied, "Fishing."

A fishing club? Would that be possible? Plus, to his knowledge, there aren't that many people in school who enjoy fishing.

"Anything else?" He asked once more. No response. "That's alright." Rudy assured them, but before he could continue, he looked at his watch and noticed it was time to go home. He spoke, getting off the bench, "We'll figure something out sooner or later. But I gotta go home. Let's talk about this a bit more tomorrow, alright?"

Nagisa nodded and waved goodbye as he left. But, acting as obstacles in his path to get home, there were… Girls. Lot’s of them. It’s not like he’s against girls, or anything. He’s just tired of the majority of them surrounding him in the halls, or coming up to him after class every single day. That’s what happens when you’re popular. He tried to avoid the group, but once they noticed he was there, they immediately ran up to him like a pack of wolves. They all shouted at once, bombarding him with multiple questions.

“Hey, Rudy! Thanks for helping me with that quiz yesterday!”

“Are you interested in that talent show coming up? We can enter it together!”

“Are you going home already?”

“Why were you talking to that weirdo just now?”

“Are you gonna join the sports team?”

He slowly backed away, stuttering, “U-Uh, I gotta go home. I’m sorry.”

“Wait.” A green-haired girl walked up to him, and urged, “I need to tell you about my—“

“T-Tomorrow, alright? I’m sorry, I gotta go!” Rudy managed to get away from the group of girls, and hastily ran onto the sidewalk, finally getting some peace and quiet. 

Rudy never thought he'd be able to find someone that easily, but he figured it would be difficult from then on. Other than that, he hoped that none of the students would make it hard for him. There have been a few people in the past who picked fights with him, which he wanted no part of. The last thing he wanted was any trouble. He used to be able to declare that easily, but now, he just can't. Lost in thought, he opened the front door, finally arriving at his home, but was abruptly greeted by his sister.

"Welcome back! So, how was it? Did you make some progress?” Ruby wondered, excitedly waiting for a reply. Rudy took a bit to process what was happening, but smiled.

"I already found someone. It's only one person, but-"

"You already have a member? That's perfect!" Ruby exclaimed, hugging her brother. "I knew this would be easy-peasy for you! That's just how cool you are."

"I doubt that..." Rudy muttered. "I barely even did anything. Plus, I know we're supposed to make some flyers, but I don't have any ideas."

"Well..." Ruby went on, slightly backing away from her brother to give him space. "Try looking up some cute designs on the internet! Using references for art usually helps, right? So looking for a design should be the same. I bet it’ll be, like, really effective!"

They both went inside the house and closed the front door behind them, as Rudy walked towards the staircase.

"You're right. I'll try to look at a few things tonight. Thanks sis."

He went into their room and sat at his desk. Ruby decided to stay downstairs and keep playing video games, so she hopped back onto the couch and turned on the gaming system.

 _If she doesn’t do her stuff, Mamá is gonna get upset…_ Rudy thought. _Oh well, she’ll do it eventually._

He chuckled at the memory of him and Ruby playing games together when they were younger. Not having a care in the world, they'd usually make a huge mess, and he would have to fix everything. Afterwards, Ruby would always apologize and go to extreme lengths to make it up to him. That's how their home-life has always been. She's always been wanting to help him after all, so perhaps this club thing really was a good idea. It might just seem like a normal thing to anyone else, but Rudy hasn't socialized with other people that much, and prefers to focus on his studies, so it'd make sense that Ruby giving him the suggestion to create a club and make some friends is perfect.

It's common knowledge that other kids were going through a similar situation, especially during middle school. The moment you enter secondary, all of your friendships and long term relationships have already been established. Rudy would constantly be reminded about the situations and drama in elementary starting to become serious now.  
For example, if two kids in 5th grade were pretending to be dating, then it's up to destiny if they end up being together after graduation or not. Plus, large friend groups (which usually consisted of 4-9 people) are already either forming clubs, or joining some together. After all, at this school, by the time you reach 5th grade, you might not be able to create a club, but you sure can join one.

He hasn't tried this hard for anything else before, other than practicing on his acoustic guitar. He spent almost the whole entire night thinking of design and topic ideas instead of studying, which is rare. All worries of not being able to get good grades suddenly disappeared for a while. He didn't know if forming a club could cause his grades to be lowered in the future, but right now, all he could focus on was getting this club gig to work.  
The clock kept ticking.

_12:00AM..._

_1:30AM..._

_2:47AM..._

And then he finally slept, getting his rest. The last time he stayed up this late was during 5th grade. On a certain day, merely by coincidence, every single one of his subjects had a test, and he needed to study for them. He ended up getting A's on all of them, as usual. But just the idea of getting a C or lower on a test scared him to death.  
Willing to risk his grade depletion for a club is a huge deal, and he knew just that. But if it meant that he could help other people for once, then he'd be glad to. Even so, preparing for the upcoming chaos was a _must._


	2. Past Aspirations (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy and Nagisa continue to develop their club, but a new yet familiar face interrupts them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s a bit of an older chapter today. 
> 
> I wish my school life was like this.

As soon as his alarm went off, Rudy quickly hopped off of... Not his bed. His chair? Of course, he fell asleep late last night, for he was looking up flyer design ideas. Remembering anything was difficult, though.

 _Did I even get anything done? I hope I did. Wait, when did I fall asleep…?_ Rudy thought to himself, grabbing his phone which was right by his arm on the desk.

He turned on his phone, and looked through his web browser. Scrolling through the multiple tabs, he looked at the one he used last night, and finally remembered what he had in mind. He apparently wrote down some of his ideas on a piece of paper that was laying on the desk, in front of him. Since both his phone and alarm clock read ‘7:30AM,’ he hurried to change into his uniform, grab the piece of paper, put it in his backpack, and eat some breakfast before heading to school.

"Hey, morning!" Ruby exclaimed from across the kitchen, as Rudy made his way down the stairs. "Did you sleep well, bro?”

“Wait, if you went to bed, then you knew that I fell asleep at the desk, right? How come you didn’t wake me up?”

“You looked tired, I couldn’t. Did you have a good sleep, though?”

"Kinda. I don't know when I fell asleep....” He arrived at the kitchen and grabbed a piece of bread and put it in the toaster as he mumbled, lowering his tone, "These ideas aren’t even that good. I kinda regret doing this.”

“Nah, I bet you thought of cool stuff. So hey, did you find anything while you were browsing? Maybe you sketched something?"

"Yeah, I wrote some things down… I’ll show Nagisa what I have after school today. I hope that these are good enough."

"Oh, Nagisa?" Ruby questioned. She noticed that the toast Rudy made was ready, so she pointed to it in order to remind him. "Is that the name of the person you found? Neat-o."

"Yeah, I guess it is." Rudy grabbed the piece of toast and sat down at the kitchen counter, eating it slowly. A few minutes later, it was about time to go to school, so he got up, grabbed his backpack, and headed towards the front door. "See ya there. I'll try to get a few things done today."

He waved to Ruby, and watched her follow suit before closing the door.

*****

During his classes, all he could think about was recess. Has he ever had much to look forward to after school? Not really. Again, this was a first for him. Meeting up with friends after school was a normal thing for other people, but not for him. Not having many friends kept him from experiencing that sort of thing. Some would say that the kids who like him because he's popular in class are his friends, but he'd say they really aren't. He really has to hand it to Ruby. After all, she's the one who comes up with interesting ideas for him to make some friends at school. Who wouldn't want such an amazing, leader-like sister? Sometimes, whenever he's chosen to lead something, he'd prefer Ruby to do it. But no, not this time.

Recess was finally here, and Rudy walked out of the school building. He tried not to rush, or else he'd be attracting some attention to himself. He looked around for Nagisa, among all the other kids who were just playing around. Eventually, he spotted Nagisa, sitting on the grass by a tree. From what he could make out at that distance, Nagisa wasn't holding a book this time. What was it though? He decided to just go over there and investigate.

He walked up to Nagisa, and sat beside them. 

"Hey, how's it going?" No verbal response. Only a nod. They showed off what they had in their hands. "Oh, what is it?" Rudy curiously looked a bit closer.

It was a piece of paper that Nagisa had to unfold in order to unveil what they had. It was... A drawing of a fish. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't too well drawn either. It looked like what you'd get after mixing the appearance of a Striped Bass and Goldfish, but blue in color.

"This is what I made. A new species."

Nagisa proudly displayed their work of art before Rudy. It was cute, but had nothing to do with the club whatsoever. Rudy tried to conceal his laughter the best he could. At least they were dedicated, right?

"That looks great, but that's not what I meant Nagisa." Rudy sighed and smiled lightly, as Nagisa brought down her drawing and folded it back up. "Anyway, I was able to think of a few design ideas for our flyers. The thing is, I'm not that very good at sketching, so could you draw what I have in mind?" 

Nagisa then got the message, and reached for their sky blue backpack, which was right behind them. There was a notebook filled with paper, along a few mechanical pencils. They looked back up at Rudy, which he took as an indicator to start describing what he needed drawn. 

“Well, maybe there could be some large text at the top, that spells out the name of our club? And then, a description about our club that goes underneath to the right. And, uh, I dunno… Maybe somewhere in the middle, it should say that we're accepting anybody. Most clubs are limited to a certain grade, I think.”

While he was speaking, Nagisa quickly sketched out everything onto the piece of paper. Once he was done, they started to slow down and think for a bit.

"What's our club name?" Nagisa asked.

“Well, that depends on our topic. I wrote down some ideas last night, and—“ Rudy was interrupted by a leaf falling down by the tree behind him. He looked up, and noticed that a branch was shaking, causing multiple leaves to fall down to the ground. “What the…?” He stood up, and motioned Nagisa to the same, backing away from the tree to see what was in it. “Is that a squirrel…?”

“How dare you call me a squirrel?” A disembodied voice spoke, coming out of nowhere. It was somehow quite familiar to Rudy, however. 

Messy blonde hair, a short figure, and attire that violated the school's dress code... It was Min-Jun. It just had to be. Rudy remembered meeting up with him after school every day for a short while, only to be cast away a few weeks later.

"Um… What are you doing?" Rudy questioned, squinting at the sight of Min-Jun literally _stuck in a tree._ “How did you get up there?”

“M-Magic, Min-Jun stammered. “Wait, crap, I’m not supposed to say that…” 

Nagisa wondered, _Is this a gangster?_

“Please don’t fall.” Rudy sighed, “Why’re you up there?”

“Spying on you.”

“What…?”

“I said I’m _spying_ on you.”

“You did, but why?! Are you trying to tryna jump me?”

“Of course not, dummy. I just overheard ya, and by the way, you’re doing this all wrong.” Barely holding onto a flimsy branch, he dramatically pointed at them, shouting, “But it’s not like I care, or anything!” 

“...Okay. I’m just really happy to see you I guess. You’re really different, though.”

“You’re not _supposed_ to be happy to see me. I have to hide in this stupid tree everyday so people don’t know that I’m here, dude.”

“But why?”

“Chill with the questions… I’m trying to not be noticed, Rudy. You probably haven’t heard, but this school sucks. It’s only fine for you ‘cuz you're popular and stuff.” 

“So, you’re hiding in a tree to hide? It looks like you’re gonna fall, are you stuck?”

“N-No, I’m not stuck, and I’m not gonna fall!” He shouted, tightly gripping onto the branch. “But for real, how are you gonna start this stupid club without even having a plan? It won’t get accepted.”

“But you said that you didn’t care earlier.”

“No, I don’t!”

Nagisa blinked, and began to fidget, looking around the area, while the other two continued to ‘converse.’ Luckily, their head was filled with fishing, so tuning them out wasn’t a difficult task.

“We’ll get some work done eventually. I’m not good at starting anything.” Rudy mumbled. “I haven’t even done this before, anyway.”

"Yeah, a club with only two people in it. I bet you don't even know who this person is." Min-Jun looked directly at Nagisa, giving them a quick glare.

"I mean, we'll find some more people. I think. Plus, the club's point is to make some friends, I dunno...”

"Huh? I never thought you'd say that. Don't you have plenty of friends already? You have those girls who keep nagging you in class all the time."

"They barely even know me, and I wanna meet some more people.”

"I skip school sometimes," Nagisa softly spoke. Not only was it entirely off-topic, but it made Min-Jun beyond confused. 

"Uhh, okay.” He cleared his throat, “But, for real, you guys are gonna need some serious help, and you ain’t getting it FROM—“ He lost his grip on the branch, and fell onto the grass, landing on his feet.

“Are you alright?” Rudy wanted to check if he was alright, out of concern. In response, Min-Jun looked up, and crossed his arms.

“Y-Yeah, I’m totally fine. As I was saying…” The branch finally fell, landing on top of his head, and interrupting him once more. At this point, Rudy was… Concerned, to say the least. 

Rudy thought, _Is he brain damaged?_

Min-Jun grabbed the branch and tossed it on the floor. He continuously stepped on it until it broke. He then cleared his throat once again, and declared, “Hyun-a told me that clubs are lame. Your’s is probably, like, the lamest, so at least try to make it better.” 

“Is this your way of saying that you wanna help us?” Rudy questioned.

“No, that’s not what I meant. Anyone would comment on how… What’s the word… Weird this idea is. ‘A club for making friends?’ At least make it related to school, or something. Like the Science Club, the Sign-Language Club, or—“

"Thank you, Yellow Guy." Nagisa spoke clearly, attempting to crack a smile. Rudy chuckled, as Min-Jun was taken aback by the statement.

"M-My name is not Yellow Guy! It's Min-Jun! Where'd you get that from anyways?!" He questioned.

"Here you go, Yellow Guy. Our club flyer. Please join."

"No."

"Y’know, you’re… Actually right,” Rudy muttered.

”Wait, what?” 

“At first, I actually thought it was pretty weird, too. There’s no way something like that would work out, right? I dunno, I’m a pretty bad leader.”

“Well, don’t say it like _that…_ ” 

“But this time, I feel like it might work out. Not only because Ruby said so, or anything. I just gotta try harder, I guess. So, thanks for the advice, Min. Do you wanna talk about it tomorrow?”

 _Darn, this guy’s good,_ Min-Jun thought.

"Y-Yeah, sure, whatever. But I'm gonna head home. Good luck with your club thing.” Min-Jun walked away from the two, leaving Nagisa even more confused than ever, and not only because he was actually heading back to the school building. 

Nagisa looked over to Rudy, and blinked. Rudy felt like he needed to say something. Badly.

“Uh… He’s just an old friend of mine. He doesn’t mean what he says.”

Nagisa blurted, "A Fish Club. There's an aquarium. Lot's of fish are there."

Oh, so that’s what they were gonna say. 

Rudy couldn't tell if Nagisa was either joking or being serious, but found it sweet that they were trying to help. A Fish Club might not be possible, but it's the only thing they've been able to think of, so that’s something, at least.

"I'm leaving now. Bye-bye,” Nagisa spoke quite abruptly. They stood up and grabbed their things, including the piece of paper.

“Oh, so soon? How come?” Rudy asked.

“Hmm. Dad told me to.”

“Okay then. See you tomorrow. And thanks for all the help.” He reassured, “We can keep talking about this tomorrow, alright?” Receiving a nod in reply, he walked towards the gate and made his way out of school grounds. But Nagisa had some other things in mind. They made their way back into the school building in an attempt to follow Min-Jun. Where was he though?

He wasn't in classroom 6-A, nor was he in 6-B. Nagisa continued to venture down the hallways, only to have no luck in finding him. Until they reached the boy's bathroom. Spotting Min-Jun in front of the mirror, texting who-knows-who, Nagisa silently opened the door and crept up behind him.

And as soon as they tapped his shoulder...

"Yellow Guy."

"AHH!" Min-Jun shrieked, trying to regain his composure. He sounded like a girl screaming. 

_Holy crap, since when did that guy get here?!_

"W-What are you doing here?! I thought you were still with Rudy!" He stammered, still being suspicious of Nagisa. 

_Teleportation isn't possible, right? No way…_

"Wait, you're p-probably stalking me, aren't you! That's right, you've been stalking me ever since Rudy and I met! B-Bet the jealousy really got to you, huh?!"

Nagisa just stared at him with a blank face, as usual. 

"No. Help us with our club. I have candy." Nagisa put a hand inside their hoodie's right pocket, and retrieved a small piece of candy that was in its wrapper. They held it out to Min-Jun as he cringed at the sight.

"...What's your deal? You're not like I thought you were. Y-You're just even weirder." He snatched the candy anyways and unwrapped it, to find out that there wasn't even any candy. 

_The heck? What kind of mad tricks are these?_

“I'm leaving. You can’t stalk me, ‘kay? I can call the police, y'know! I-I have my phone right here!”

Nagisa nodded, and watched as Min-Jun exited the bathroom with his phone in hand. Did that mean they would follow him again, or not? At this point, he figured it'd be better to just go home and stop asking questions.

*****

As the sunset fell upon the school, Min-Jun walked out of the front entrance and made his way home. He adjusted his backpack, and sighed out of relief.

_Thank god the day’s over… I shouldn’t have gone over there. Just another thing I’m thrown into… Maybe if I just go home extra early, I can avoid this._

How ironic. You can’t escape fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will protect Min-Jun with my life.
> 
> Thanks for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed today’s chapter. Kudos and comments are always appreciated. Tune in for next week.


	3. Past Aspirations (Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby and Lisa wanna help the others with their club. Meanwhile, Min-Jun is forced to form the club with them.

School was finally dismissed for the day. As the bell rang, every student exited their classrooms, all but Lisa and Ruby.

"Ughhhh..." Ruby groaned, laying her head down on the desk. 

"Huh? What’s wrong?” Lisa asked. She was seemingly in a good mood a while ago, so why the sudden change? 

Ruby sighed, "I really wanna help Rudy with his club, but..."

“But?”

“I know he wants to do this by himself… Without any help. I don’t wanna interfere or anything.”

"Nah! Everything’s gonna be fine! Even if it’s a little awkward for you, it won't be _that_ bad. Maybe you won’t cower in shame for the rest of your life!" 

“Wow, that’s… Reassuring. But thanks. You wanna hang out with the girls now?”

"Yeah, but can we visit Rudy’s clubroom first?" Lisa jumped out of her seat, and grabbed Ruby by the hand. 

"Uhh, sure. Sounds good, but—“ 

They both jolted out of the classroom, making their way upstairs.

…..

“They don’t have one,” Lisa flatly spoke.

“I was gonna tell you…” 

“I walked up SUPER long stairs for this.” She panted, “Look at how tired I am. This is your fault.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “W-What?”

*****

"Good afternoon." Nagisa greeted.

Rudy replied, "Oh, hey Na—“

He was interrupted by the sight of Nagisa dragging Min-Jun by the arm. He was already waiting for Nagisa to arrive for a while, but to then witness _whatever this was…?_

"W-Why did you drag me here in the first place?! Let me go!” Min-Jun ordered, which resulted in Nagisa letting him go anyway. Rudy flinched. 

_Yeah, why…?_

"He's gonna help us. He said so," Nagisa spoke with a deadpan look. 

"No, I didn’t. And I didn't even want to come out here. You can't just drag people around like that!" Min-Jun jabbed, pointing to Nagisa dramatically. 

"Okay, uhh..." Rudy wondered, "...So, Nagisa invited you to the club, and you accepted, right?"

"Absolutely not." Min-Jun mumbled, which was ignored by Rudy.

"Okay, since Nagisa is the only one here I can trust, I know that you agreed to help, which is actually pretty rare.” He turned over to Nagisa. “You must've done something to him…”

"Why is everybody ignoring me?!" Min-Jun attempted to get their attention, which he finally succeeded in. After starting to relax a little, he sighed. "Anyways, have y'all even filled out the form yet?"

"Oh, that form for, uh, school-approval, right? I heard you need to do that,” Rudy replied.

"Yeah. You need to register your club and make it official. You can just go to some teacher or whatever. But you gotta explain what your club’s about." 

"Oh, How do you know so much about forming a club? I thought you weren’t interested in them."

"F.Y.I, Hyun-a’s been in a few. She even told me how it is, too. And she's way smarter than you are."

 _Why does he always have to mention her?_ Rudy thought. He then cleared his throat, and brought out a folded piece of paper from his backpack, as Nagisa sat down beside him.

"So, I ended up writing down everything I had in mind on this piece of paper here last night. I wrote down: 'Chess Club, Writing Club, Photography Club, and Sculpture Club.' I wasn't able to think of more. It was getting too late." 

"Meh, a few of them are cool I guess, but chess is boring. Same for board games." Min-Jun added, “Nobody likes those.”

"Well, it's all I could think of. I like to play some board games with Ruby sometimes..."

"Well, if you're gonna do a Photography Club, why not have it be a Yearbook Club? You'd be better off with that." 

"What's a yearbook?" Nagisa questioned midway. Min-Jun raised an eyebrow at them out of confusion.

“...How do you not know what a yearbook is? It's that book that gets published annually."

"What does 'annually' mean?" 

"J-Just look it up yourself!" 

"You guys..." Rudy muttered, hoping to be heard. He sighed and folded the paper back up. 

_Do I have to deal with this every day now?_

Before he could continue, he heard a familiar voice in the distance, calling out his name.

"Rudy! There you are!"

Ruby called out to him, and ran towards the trio, alongside Lisa. They both quickened their pace, and finally approached Rudy.

"We thought you already had a clubroom!" Ruby panted. "And we had no idea y'all would be over here! We were chatting with the girls earlier and they said you guys weren't outside. We—“

“I ran up stairs,” Lisa groaned.

"Sit down guys," Rudy whispered, not wanting to attract any attention, for a few students were already staring at them. "So, what were you gonna say?”

Ruby and Lisa both exclaimed in unison, "You guys should make an Anime Club!”

"What?" Min-Jun hissed, "First of all, who is even into that here? It probably won't work out anyways. Second of all, I’m not with them." He took a pause, "Third, hi Ruby.”

"Hi," She replied, “Man, it’s been ages. How’s it going?”

“Nothing, just being forced into something. Again. But it’s fine. Totally.”

“Cool, cool.”

“...I was being sarcastic.

“Oh, sorry, I couldn’t tell.”

"Ahem!" Lisa pulled the attention to herself, "So, Rudy, are you going through with this idea or not? I think it’s neat!"

Rudy looked to the side, "No, but…Thanks for the help. I’m not into it anyway."

"Yeah you are! Ruby told me so! Apparently, when you're not playing games together, it's all you talk about!"

He stuttered, "N-No, that's not true. I don't know what you're talking about, I swear." 

“Lisa…” Ruby muttered.

“Sorry,” She relented, “I thought you wanted me to say it!”

“...Look bro, I'm just saying, I think it's pretty cool. We're not gonna force you though.” Ruby gave Lisa a quick glare.

"Ahah, but wouldn’t it be unique?" Lisa asked. "I mean, if you really like it, then just make a club for it. It’s not like anyone else would!”

"Pigtail is right," Nagisa agreed. 

"Hmm...." Rudy lifted his head up to face his sister. "But what would we even do? Like Min said before, we need to tell a teacher what we’re all about and stuff."

"Well..." Lisa stopped to think, which was rare. She normally just says the first thing that comes to mind.

Finally, after moments of silence, Min-Jun decided to speak up. "Just disguise it as an Anime Club or something. Don't even do activities. It's not my problem if you guys get in trouble, so just do whatever, I don't care."

He was just about to grab his backpack and leave, but Ruby grabbed him by the arm and dramatically gasped. "Min, you're a genius! That's perfect! Thank you so much!" 

"Wait, what? A-And stop pulling on my arm!" He continued to beg Ruby to let him go.

_I can't believe I'm being dragged into this… This… Whatever this is._

"Well, I guess we’re good. Let's tell a teacher tomorrow when school’s over," Rudy suggested. "After that, we can meet up in our clubroom." He paused for a second and looked towards Lisa and Ruby. "Oh, are you joining, Lisa?"

"Of course I am!" She beamed. "I need to find some people who'll help me with my music and stuff. And I think Ruby is in too, right?" Lisa patted Ruby's back and grinned, which alerted her. 

"Wait, I am?"

"Of course you are! You said you were going to eventually, right? So why not now?"

"That's not what I meant, but…”

“C’mon, it ain’t a crime!”

“Alright, if you really want me to.”

Both Lisa and Ruby got up and waved goodbye to the others. 

"See you guys later!" Lisa exclaimed.

"Bye! I'll see you at home bro,” said Ruby.

Rudy and Nagisa waved back, and Rudy noticed Nagisa scooting towards him. He took a look at his watch and noticed that it was only 4:00PM, so he figured using his phone would help time go by faster. Ruby would always go home around that time, but middle schoolers were only allowed to leave thirty minutes afterwards. 

Min-Jun got up and spoke, "See you guys tomorrow." Nagisa noticed that he went back into the school building again, just like yesterday, but tried to ignore it this time. Rudy waved back, but looked up from his phone, realizing what Min-Jun just said.

"He said he'd see us tomorrow..?" He questioned. He wasn't complaining though. Maybe he'd be able to make amends with him, after a few years. Nagisa looked over Rudy's shoulder and rested their head on it, noticing his phone's lock screen photo. 

"That’s a lot of pink,” They stated.

“W-What, I didn’t—“ Rudy turned off his phone in panic. “...Did you see my password?”

“No.”

“But you saw the… Dang it…”

“That’s a lot of pink.”

“T-That was just my favorite character. She’s a magical girl and stuff, and… Nevermind, I should probably shut up.” He put away his phone out of embarrassment and sighed.

“But I like pink. Lisa likes those.”

“Wait, how do you know that…?”

“Lisa’s my friend. She likes pink.”

“You’re kidding, right? Does she like magical girls?”

“She li—“

“This is the best day of my life…!”

“Okay.” Nagisa grabbed their backpack and took out the same book they were reading before.

Rudy was able to catch what it was about, and it was a book focused on ocean life. 

He thought, _They've been mentioning things about fishing, or making a 'Fish Club.' Hmm… Maybe they go to that aquarium around here._ He figured that he might as well ask.

"Hey, Nagisa, do you visit that aquarium nearby?"

"Of course. Every weekend. Every Saturday,” They responded.

"That's a lot. Do you go with all your family, or…?”

"Yes. They own it."

"Oh— Wait, hold up! Your family owns that aquarium?!"

"Yes. Ever since we moved here. Years ago."

"That’s pretty nice! Reminds me of how I wanted to make my own business a couple years ago…”

“What’s it about?”

“It was supposed to be for selling books, but I gave up on it. I started playing on my guitar after that.”

“Books? What kinds? Fish ones?”

“Uh… I’ll tell you later.”

“Make a song for me.”

“Oh, a song? With my guitar? I’m not that good at it though.”

“Make a song for me. With magic.”

“How am I gonna get magic…?”

“Believing. Just believe in yourself.”

“That… Isn’t really my thing.”

Nagisa didn’t know what to say. What even was his thing at this point?

They blurted, “Then you’re not my friend.”

“I don’t get you. Are you joking?”

“Is the deep sea located below the thermocline and known as the Abyssopelagic Zone?”

“...Yes?”

“Correct. Question two, what kind of fish live there?”

“You’re giving me a quiz now?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “That’s a lot of pink.”


	4. Our New Clubroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The five club members have a discussion on how they should present their club to a teacher.

Ruby and Lisa were walking along the sidewalk, making their way to Lisa's house. This was a daily routine, for every day after school, Ruby would walk Lisa home, and then proceed to her household afterwards. Nobody would question why two 5th graders were walking home by themselves. The area was safe, and you'd see a few elementary-schoolers walking by themselves on a daily basis.

"Uh, Lisa?" Ruby asked, “I never said that I was gonna join."

"Really? I thought you did," Lisa replied. “It shouldn’t even be a problem. Didn’t you wanna do something like this?”

"I… Thought about it for a bit, and I actually really don’t want to. It’s gonna be awkward with Rudy there. Not in a bad way, but..."

"What do you mean by awkward? He’s your own brother. Is that the problem?"

"No, it isn't. I just don’t wanna ruin it for him. I want him to be happy.”

Lisa chuckled, “Hah, what are you talking about? He already seems fine to me.”

“To you, but not to me. We’re siblings, I’ve known him my entire life. He deserves to be a leader, not me.”

“But you’re not even gonna be the leader.”

“...Well, kinda. He’s gonna ask if I can lead the club or something, and like always, I’ll say yes. That’s how it always goes.”

“You sure it’s not because you’re tired of doing things yourself…?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. So that’s why I’m not gonna join. You get it?”

"Just a little. It's really hard to understand ya, ‘kay?”

"Heh, at least you are. Thanks.”

“Of course! I’m, like, the best friend you could ever ask for! Who else knows literally everything about you?”

“...Almost everyone. I know alotta people.”

“Oh. Well, not counting everyone else. Or Miette. Or your brother.”

“Not even Min?“

“Nope.”

“So just you…”

“Exactly! C’mon, hurry up!”

The two girls both ran on the sidewalk, and Lisa tried to not trip over anything. They got closer to Lisa's house, and eventually arrived there. It was a beautiful place, painted in a light blue. It bore a large garage at the front, which was opened by Lisa to get inside, for she always has the remote stuffed inside her pocket. 

"See you later Ruby!" 

Lisa waved goodbye to her, as she grinned softly. Watching the garage door close back up, Ruby made her way home.

She knew that her mom told her to 'stop worrying about other people so much,' for she didn't need to have so much worry at her age. But it still bugged her; Not being able to do what's right for her own brother. She would do anything for him, and the fact that he didn't feel confident in himself made her feel dejected. For all her life, she's been looking up to him, and wants to return the many favors he did for her. But she couldn't do it. Even attempting to talk to her parents about it was impossible. 

*****

"I can’t believe I’m doing this…” Min-Jun stood in front of the other four, organizing what seemed to be a serious group meeting and discussion. Nagisa looked off to the side, the two Myers siblings paid close attention and started brainstorming, and Lisa already began blurting out random ideas as soon as they came to her. 

"I already know what we're gonna do! We could just tell the teacher that we're forming a sports club! Then, we could go out in the field to prove it! Ooh, or we could all go up to 'em together, and—“

"Just relax... _You._ We haven't even started planning yet." Min-Jun let out an exasperated sigh, and proceeded to declare, "Just so you know, once we're done with this, I'm out. And I can't be the only one coming up with stuff, okay? What do you think, Ruby?”

"That's me!" Ruby happily exclaimed. She took a moment to think her answer through. "Alright," She began, "So every club here is supposed to have activities, right? I think they hafta do with school subjects too... But we don't. So I was thinking, to make up for that, and prove that we don't need to have educational stuff, we can just show the teacher our grades or something.” She sighed, “No, that’s a terrible idea…”

“Uh, it’s not that bad. But… What if just _one_ of us had bad grades?”

“Well, uh, it should be okay I guess! Rudy has straight A’s!”

Rudy let out a nervous laugh, and corrected, "I… I don’t have straight A’s. That was last year."

"Oh, sorry. But are we still going with this?”"

"No," Min-Jun replied, "It sounds good and all, but it won’t work. I know our teachers aren’t strict, like, at all, but you can’t just make up for breaking a rule.”

"You’re breaking the dress code, though… I already told you," Rudy mumbled.

"Okay then, _popular kid._ Do you have any ideas of your own?" 

"Not yet, gimme a moment to think." 

"Ugh, fine." 

"...Thanks. Didn’t think you’d say that."

"W-What are you talking about? I didn’t even do anything.” He crossed his arms, attempting to avoid eye contact with Rudy at all costs. It was almost like they were regular friends again, just like how it was back in 3rd grade. Yet, their memories were so distant and faded, Rudy thought he would either never see Min-Jun again, or make up with him. 

Great things were coming out of this club already, and it wasn't even official yet. And that's what needs to happen. Without it being approved by a teacher, it wouldn't be a real club. Somehow, it’d feel different that way. 

"I'm sorry." Rudy lamented, looking at the ground. "I can't think of anything. I’m not helping at all." 

The words Rudy spoke bothered Min-Jun. It wasn’t like him to care that much, but they’ve known each other for years. It’d be wrong to let that statement slide.

“Don't say that. Quit being so negative, you started this thing.”

“But—“

“Just chill for a second. It’s fine.” Min-Jun paused, "So, tall guy…” Min-Jun looked towards Nagisa, who was in their own world. "Have you thought of anything? Hello?" He tried to get their attention, but received no response. 

Lisa shook Nagisa and hollered, "Hey! Hey! C'mon, are you there? Hello?” 

"Calm down already! Give them some space!"

Nagisa finally snapped out of it, and the first thing they noticed was Lisa all up in their face. It freaked them out for a moment, but their expression stayed the same. Once Rudy gestured to her, Lisa backed away from them. 

Nagisa asked, "Sorry, what?" 

Min-Jun mentally facepalmed, but continued. "We need to make our club official. You have any ideas on telling a teacher?”

“Already done.”

"Alri— Wait, for real?!". 

"Yes. I did that already."

Ruby asked, “How?”

"Well," Nagisa began, "My family's aquarium is nearby. I went there. Dropped off my stuff. Then, I came back to school. A teacher came to me. I told her about the club. She made it _offer… Order…_

“Official?”

“She made it official. It was easy. I just wrote your names.”

Not only was that the first time Nagisa’s spoken that much, but all that planning was for nothing.

"Wait a minute, I never even introduced Ruby to you yet! How’d you get her name? Are you psychic?” Lisa asked.

"Told her what you looked like. She gave me your names. I wrote them down… And I wanna be a psychic."

"That’s awesome!” Ruby piped, “You guys are getting your own clubroom, that’s neat…”

“You too,” Rudy commented, “Not just us.”

“Oh, yeah… Yeah! We’re getting our own clubroom!”

As soon as the realization came to Rudy, his excitement was building up more and more. Just the thought of meeting in a clubroom every day after school got him hyped. Everything was coming together neatly, and it was perfect. A small miracle such as this seemed impossible to occur at this school, but they made it happen.

"So, did she tell you which room was yours'?” Min-Jun inquired.

"Yes. 12-B,” Nagisa ensured.

"Hm, that’s weird. That classroom is never used anymore. Y’know, I heard that it’s haunted and that there’s a ghost in there."

"No way," Ruby laughed, "That's silly. Ghosts totally don't exist. Plus, it's just a normal classroom. Nothing bad is gonna happen."

“I guess. We’ll just hafta make sure Rudy doesn’t have a freak-out.”

“...What?” Rudy blinked. “I’m not scared of those things. They aren’t real.”

“Sure, sure.”

"Uh, let’s just check it out already..." Rudy stood up, and led the others towards the school building, with Min-Jun falling last.

Walking throughout the halls, they treaded upstairs to reach the high school area. Apart from attending club activities, there were no other excuses to be up there (for middle schoolers, at least). And anybody could agree that the hallways were... Dull. It wasn't as decorated as the first floor was, and the classrooms weren't in top shape. It wasn’t _terrible,_ but it was _obviously_ bad.

"Aaaaand… We’re here!” Ruby swung the door right open as soon as she approached the clubroom. Words couldn’t describe how neat and clean it looked, but the others looked at her as if she was hallucinating. In fact, they looked… Disappointed? "Huh? What's the matter? This is our…” 

She was cut off by the clubroom's true appearance. Chairs were scattered on the ground along with empty boxes, the table had numerous scribbles, the bookcase was holding random books, and there was a dirty whiteboard.

The clubroom hadn't been used for ages, but it wasn't supposed to be _that bad._ It was a huge mess, and it might as well take the whole evening to clean it up. They couldn't even use their newfound clubroom properly on the first day, which sucked. Not everything will be easy, though. 

"You GOTTA be kidding me! We deserve so much better than this! Agh, I can't believe it!"Lisa appeared to be a little frustrated. 

"We shouldn’t complain. This is what we have. Let's get to work." Rudy rolled up his sleeves and already began to pick up a few boxes. Lisa proceeded to mope in the corner, while Ruby and Nagisa tried to take a look at what was written on the tables. 

"Hey Nagisa," Ruby questioned, "What do you think that says? I can't make that out at all."

"It says I’m psychic," They replied.

"For real? I can't see it..."

Min-Jun stared at everyone's actions, and almost volunteered to help, until Lisa teasingly asked him, “So? Are you gonna join or not? Looks like you aren’t helping either…”

"I dunno.” He shrugged, “Looks like you guys need help. I have nothing to do, so…”

“Well, go ahead and help ‘em then.”

“Why can’t you?”

“I can’t let my clothes get dirty. And if I work too much, my hair’s gonna get messed up! Don’t you want me to stay pretty like this?”

“Princess,” He muttered, “And you’re not that pretty.”

Lisa dramatically gasped, and watched him walk towards the whiteboard to clean it off. It took her a few seconds to fully process what he said, but then snapped out of it and got to work.

The club spent almost an hour of just cleaning the clubroom. It wasn't as hard as they thought it would be, but it was still tiring. Rudy grabbed all the items from the drawer, and organized them into the boxes that had fallen. Once he was done, he closed them up, and stacked them on top of each other. Meanwhile, Ruby and Nagisa gathered a few wipes and cleaned the scribbles off the table. Lisa put the chairs together, to be facing the table, and Min-Jun cleaned the whiteboard. He even replaced the dried-out markers that were already there, with some brand new ones located inside his backpack. 

Once they were done, the club members relaxed for a little bit and sat on the chairs, being exhausted after all of that cleaning.

"I'm beat... And so glad we got this over with," Lisa panted, "And thank the gods for air conditioning."

“It wasn’t that hard,” Ruby chuckled, “I could go for more!”

“Please no…”

"Guys, I think it’s almost time to go," Rudy commented, looking outside the window. 

Min-Jun agreed, "Obviously, people in clubs always leave at this time. We should probably go already.”

"Min-Jun said 'we!!!'” Lisa blurted, suddenly alerting him.

"W-Well, yeah. But just because I helped you guys, doesn't mean I'm a part of this or anything. Don’t get the wrong idea." 

"I think that means he's in."

"N-No, it doesn't, Lisa."

"Woah! You actually said my name! How did you know it?!"

"Everyone else kept saying it, so that's how I know! And it's not even a huge deal!"

"Next he’s gonna say that I’m pretty…”

"Your predictions are terrible. No way." 

“Are you calling me ugly?!”

“Since when did I even say that?”

The two of them continued like that for another few minutes, which seemed like gibberish to Nagisa. Once again, their mind was totally on something else. It wasn't on the club, and neither was it on anyone else. Strangely, it was the last thing they could think about. 

"What's the matter, Nagisa?" Ruby asked out of concern. "Is something wrong? You look upset." They bluntly replied, 

"No. I was thinking about Bagel."

"'Bagel?' You mean the food, right?"

"No. My fish Bagel. He's a red seabream."

"Oh, that's neat! I used to have a whole bunch of pets at home, but we had to give 'em away."

Ruby smiled at Nagisa, and they smiled back. She stretched out her arms and sighed in relief, being proud of the sight that was in front of her. A neat clubroom, a beautiful sunset being reflected by the windows, and four happy students getting to know each other. It was a perfect sight in Rudy's eyes as well, and it filled him with glee. 

Even if it were just for a moment, both Min-Jun and Rudy put the past behind them. What happened wasn’t even a problem anymore. It wasn’t something to look back to as an excuse, or constantly go on about. In fact, they realized that it wasn’t a big deal in the first place. Separation happens all the time. They were just glad that they could meet again. That’s all that mattered.

The five club members happily engaged in conversation for another hour, it seemed. There was so much to talk about, and so much to appreciate. Sure, there weren't that many people, but at least there were some. Maybe confronting even more people would be beneficial. 

But Hyun-a was against it. In her situation, confrontation was the last thing she needed.


	5. From a Distance (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy comes across a student who supposedly used to be popular. What happened to them?

Hyun-a Li has always been a top student, ever since she started middle school. If you spoke with a teacher, just about any of them would talk about how much of a perfect role model Hyun-a was. She's always been known to act mature for her age, not get into fights, get excellent scores on her tests, and assist the staff with hosting school activities. Plus, despite her popularity among the schools she'd attend, she wasn't one of those kids who would be full of themselves for their fame. Even after she and her family moved to Missouri, she started off on the right foot, and was already admired by most of the students. But as soon as you enter middle school, there are bound to be a few differences, and even ones that could threaten your reputation.

*****

One year later, things are just about the same. The same old school, same old schoolyard, same old classrooms, same old clubrooms, and same old students. Well, maybe not the same old students. The ways they've been treating each other has just gotten worse, but it is what it is. Despite this situation, the Anime Club continued their activities, and messed around as per usual.

"I'm so bored..." Lisa groaned, resting her head on the table. "...There's, like, nothing to do. I feel like I’m gonna freeze to death."

"It’s Missouri. It’s always cold," Rudy informed.

”Ughhh, I know, but still! How do they expect us to survive like this? Isn’t this overkill? Are the teachers against us?”

”Wait, you might have a point. Oh no.”

"Chill out guys, it’s not the end of the world.” Min-Jun added, “U-Uh, no pun intended.”

”You said that on purpose.” Ruby quietly chuckled, and looked away.

Min-Jun ignored her and continued. “Imagine how it is in those other states. And everyone’s probably burning to a crisp on the other side of the world.“

“That’s true. A few of ‘em in the south are known for the heat.”

“Yeah, of course. But what’s Missouri known for? Tornadoes and barbeque.”

“And the cold,” Lisa mumbled.

"...Barbeque? That's Kansas City,” Ruby corrected. “But wait, how’d you know about that?”

“Uh,” Min-Jun replied, “I searched it up on the internet. Is that a problem?”

“No, it isn’t! I just keep running into a bunch of phony websites for some reason. It’s weird.”

“Maybe you’re just unlucky with that.”

“Probably. I’ll work my way around it! But anyway, that’s probably why I don’t know anything about Springfield. All I know is that the pizza’s really good.”

"Is food all you talk about? Seriously...”

“We just had a conversation though.”

“It led to food. And pizza is disgusting.”

"Hey, pizza’s a universal food that has to be tried wherever you go. We're lucky enough to have this blessing of a food in this world. Especially Missouri. It’s really, really good here!”

"So it wasn’t good enough in Puerto Rico?"

“N-No, I didn’t mean that! It’s good everywhere, but... Rudy and I went to a restaurant the other day, and it was pretty awesome. Uh, I think it was better than Puerto Rico pizza.”

“I can’t believe we’re still talking about this.”

"Oh, sorry. I’ll stop now, I promise."

Lisa gasped, and took the opportunity to start up another conversation. “Hey, do y’all wanna know where I went this summer?!”

“No.” Min-Jun sank in his seat, as Lisa perked up and stood from her chair.

“I actually went to, uh... F-Fantastic Caverns! Yeah, totally! The, uh... The lights were cool! I remember everything!”

“I didn’t even think you’d like a place like that,” Rudy commented, “But that’s neat. Have you gone before?”

“W-What? Uh, yeah! A million times! We’re, like, really rich, so I get to go a ton of times!”

"Wait, for real? That's cool!” Ruby exclaimed.

Min-Jun couldn’t lie; He felt sorry for Ruby. He sighed, “She’s not telling the truth, Ruby. If she really went a million times, why does she just keep complaining about there being nothing to—"

"I-I visit after school, obviously!” Lisa laughed it off, and turned to Nagisa. “Anyway, what do you like to do here?" She added, "Uh, well, other than going to the aquarium for free. You own it. I’m totally not jealous or anything."

"Hmm," Nagisa thought aloud, "Soba.”

"Soba? The Japanese food?“

“No.”

“Then what do you mean?”

“I play with Soba.”

“How can...?”

"No. My dog Soba. She's a year old."

"Ohhhh! I didn’t even know you liked dogs!"

"We got her last month. Very cool.”

Rudy lowered his head. “Hah, dogs are cool... Yeah...”

“Don’t you think so? When we grew up together, I just saw Nagisa having a ton of fish! I never thought that they’d get a dog!”

"Cool.” Rudy paused, “Wait, you two grew up together?"

"That's right!" Lisa chirped, "Nagisa and I both used to live in Japan. Whenever we would go to a restaurant with our parents, Nagisa always ate some Soba. Wait... That sounds really weird now...”

"Why are we still talking about food...?" Min-Jun mumbled, ”Can’t we talk about summer? This is boring."

"Ooh, good idea! It'll also help us keep our minds off of the temp—“ Ruby stammered, "...O-Oh, nevermind. It's freezing cold. Sorry guys. But, I've heard of this cool water park that opens during the summer! Maybe we can go together!”

"Yeah, that'd be perfect! I bet it'd be really fun! What do you think, Rudy?" Lisa suggested, grinning widely.

Rudy blinked. “W-What? Oh, uh...” _Wait, what’s going on, again? I can’t keep up..._

“Dude, are you spacing out? You’re just like Nagisa.”

"No, I bet he's just tired of what we're talking about," Min-Jun speculated. Ruby and Lisa didn't get it, and stared at him confusedly. He then rolled his eyes and spat, "And that’d make sense! Why are we still talking about food? Out of all the things we could talk about... FOOD! We should’ve made this an actual club after all! I kept telling y’all the same thing every single day, but FOOD. What’s with this pizza?! What’s with this cavern thingie? What even is Springfield? What’s Missouri? Do we even live here?!"

“...Woah, calm down,” Rudy urged.

“What next?! Is Lisa gonna say, ‘Oh, let’s have a picnic,’ ‘Let’s have a sleepover, girls only,’ or ‘Let’s move to Japan’ Now?!”

"...A sleepover sounds nice,” Ruby chimed in.

“I can’t believe you.”

"Yeah, she's right!" Lisa excitedly complied, "We can go over to my house! Mine is really, really cool."

"No, it’s too pink,” Min-Jun butted in.

“I think you just don’t have any taste. That’s the problem.”

“Okay, tell that to Ruby, then. She hates pink.”

“...No.”

“Anyway, I think it's obvious why everyone would just do whatever at Ruby's house. She's rich, and so is Rudy. They have a freaking mansion,” Min-Jun grumbled.

Ruby started to form a wide grin on her face.

Min-Jun warned, "...Ruby, don't you da—“

"Hey, guys, do you wanna have a sleepover at my house?”

“Crap. Oh well.”

"Yeah, sure, I'm totally in!" Lisa exclaimed. Nagisa nodded in response, as opposed to Min-Jun, who just pouted.

Ruby noticed that her brother was still there, and ecstatically pointed towards him. "Perfect! But first, you right there! Go and get your water! We're gonna brainstorm over this sleepover, and nothings stopping us!"

 _I wanna stop them,_ Min-Jun mentally complained.

Rudy had no choice but to pretend like he knew what was happening. “Oh, uh...” Nevermind, he failed already.

“Uh,” Ruby reassured him, “You don’t have to! I’m sorry, we’re just thinking of some random ideas, I dunno.”

"It’s fine. I... I’ll just be right back." Rudy got up from his chair and left the room, leaving the others to continue the conversation. Walking down the hallway in order to find a water fountain, he noticed that the area was empty. Not a single student was in sight, which is rare, since the majority of them break the rules and run throughout the halls.

After getting a sip of water, he eventually saw a girl looking at a pinboard.

Just from the first glance, he could tell that it was Hyun-a.

Even if she looked nothing like Min-Jun (despite them being in the same family), they had the same face, and it was easy to identify them just from that. What made them a contrast, is that instead of messy, platinum blonde hair, Hyun-a's was long, silky, wavy, and light brown. Although they had the same eye color, Hyun-a's yellow eyes looked a bit more natural, as opposed to Min-Jun's (which were probably just colored contact lenses). If her beauty isn't her most defining feature, it'd be that strange lab coat she always wears to school. There'd never be a day that you could see her without it.

 _Why’s she looking at the pinboard?_ Rudy thought to himself. _It just has a bunch of club flyers. And I thought she was already in the Drama Club. That's what Min-Jun told me..._

Apparently, a month after the Anime Club was officially assembled, Min-Jun told Rudy that Hyun-a was, in fact, a part of the Drama Club. Min-Jun had also told him that, strangely, she spoke less and less of the club's activities as each day passed, and started acting a bit suspicious. But why else would she be getting home late? She doesn't seem like the kind of person to go out somewhere without telling anyone, so the only reasonable explanation is that she went to the Drama Club. Right?

"Um, hey, excuse me. Aren't you Hyun-a? Rudy asked quietly, to not alert anyone that was currently in a classroom. Receiving no reaction, he asked once more, “Hello? Is—“

“Sesang-e!” Hyun-a quickly turned around and hollered, “Dansong-eun mueos-eul saeng-gaghago issseubnikka?! N-Na...” Once she realized who was standing in front of her, she finally began to calm down. “W-What? Oh...”

“I’m sorry, did I freak you out?” Rudy couldn’t put his finger on it, but even after she calmed down, she seemed... Angry? Frustrated, even? “...You’re Hyun-a, right?”

"Oh, sorry,” She relented. “Yeah, that's me. And you’re Rudy.” Something was up with her, and Rudy could tell. But what?

“Oh,” He stuttered, "H-How did you know?"

"You’re popular, man. Everyone knows who you are. And Min-Jun just happens to talk about you a lot, too."

"Oh, cool. Hah..."

_Why does it feel so weird? I’m just talking to her, and that’s it. Uh..._

Hyun-a had this strange ‘aura’ surrounding her. She didn't even seem angry, but Rudy could also tell that she wasn't as happy as she appeared to be. That smile she bore contradicted the vibes she was giving off. It kind of intimidated him. Did something happen? He knew it was none of his business, but Rudy wanted to ask anyway.

"Hyun-a? What's the matter? You seem a bit upset..." He paused, “I-I'm not judging you or anything! You just look upset. I thought you were in the Drama Club, and you’re here, and, uh..."

Hyun-a still kept her smile and chuckled, "Hah, you’re cute, y’know?”

“What?”

“Nothing, nothing. Don’t worry about me, I'm fine!”

“Are you sure?”

“Geulsse, does money grow on trees?”

“No...?”

“No, wait, I said that wrong. Wait, I didn’t, you were supposed to say yes because it’s rever— Nevermind, I’m sorry. No, I’m not sure, and my jokes aren’t funny. But why do you care so much?”

“I mean, anyone would ask if you’re okay. You look sad. Ugh, no, that came out wrong...”

“No, not everyone would do that, honestly. You’re really nice.”

“Huh? Really? T-Thanks, I guess.”

“Man, I never thought I’d be saying all this to a stranger. I’ll just go ahead and tell you, though.” Hyun-a sighed and began, “Well, the others just got into an argument or something, and I didn't wanna be a part of it, so I came over here."

"'The others?' The people in your club, right? What caused it?"

"It was over something stupid. It wasn't even my fault, yet they totally blamed me. But hey, isn't that how every argument goes?"

"Are you sure you're okay, though?"

Nobody’s ever been this concerned for Hyun-a before in years. It made her realize that what she said was wrong. She had to be totally honest with the only person who would listen to her, and that person was Rudy. Even if he was a total stranger, she trusted him for some reason, and even admired him. She knew exactly why. His attitude was familiar to her.

"No, not really." She replied softly. "Even if it happened a year ago, I'm still being a total drama queen about it. That's weird, isn't it?”

“Wait, I thought you said that the argument happened just now.”

“No, I was... Kidding. I’ve just been taking down club flyers here, ever since that happened."

"But why? People are putting a lot of effort in those things."

“It’s complicated. Like, really complicated. I’m probably bothering you.”

“No, I’m bothering you. It’s none of my business... But what happened for real?”

And that’s what flicked the switch.

"Well, back when I was still in the Drama Club, we were talking about whether we should do something for a play or not. I forgot what it was, but it isn't that important. But, our talk turned into an argument, which happened very often. It wasn’t outta the norm. I normally didn't get involved with them, but they called me out on that, saying that I 'didn’t care about anything,' which was wrong. They kicked me out after that."

"But you didn't even do anything wrong, so why?"

"I don't know. All I know is that they've always been pretty rude to other people, and that I got really angry. I'm still mad at them now. Especially at this one girl. Her name is Kaitlyn, and I passed the ownership over to her a few days after the club's formation. I thought I could trust her, but she backstabbed me. At least I have a new group of friends I talk to now."

"That does sound really bad. But, I still think that ruining what people have worked hard for is wrong. Can't you express your anger in another way?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Oh."

It should be no surprise that the students of this school (even the normal-looking ones) were involved in some sort of drama eventually, but somehow, it was a strange surprise for Rudy. Now that he had recognized her a lot more, from what he knew, Hyun-a was one of the 'perfect students,' only to now be robbed of that title. It was a shame, but he still wanted her to do what's right. So he had a thought.

"Hey," Rudy began, "Why don't you confront them? If you all apologize, maybe you can get along together again."

Hyun-a blurted, “Nah, that probably won’t happen. They should just feel guilty, so I’m not apologizing."

Well, that was kinda harsh.

She continued, "And I don't even trust most of the people here, anyway. I'm only talking to you about all this because Min-Jun told me you were a 'great friend.' You know how it is at this school, right? Everyone backstabs each other, and blames other people for stupid stuff, when all they can do for themselves is either be a crybaby about it, or make matters worse. So if you think about it, clubs exist to bring bad people together."

Rudy thought, _Min-Jun called me a good friend? Wait, no, that isn't important here. Sure, some of that stuff is true, but not everyone is a terrible person. How am I gonna prove that to her...?_

"Please, believe me. It’ll be better if you guys move on,” Rudy insisted, “Or not... I dunno...”

"What am I even supposed to say then? They’re stupid, they wont even get it.”

Shots were fired.

“You won’t try...?” Rudy asked.

"What if I just don't want to?" Hyun-a averted her eyes and looked downwards. _Wait a minute. Oh..._ She truly didn’t mean to say those things, but as usual, her words failed her true feelings. It’s not like she knew what to say in a difficult situation such as this one. _Dang it, now I made Rudy hate me. How do I fix this?_ "I'm sorry,” She apologized, “It’s just that... A lot of stuff has been going on. I don't wanna get into any trouble. I've also said some rude things. I'm just gonna go home."

"W-Wait, you don't have to go." Rudy grabbed her arm just before she could walk away. "And it's fine, I just wanna talk to you. I've... Been in something like that. I'm sure everyone else has too. I don't know if you want me to say anything, uh... I don't wanna waste your time or anything."

"Just go ahead. What happened?"

"Well, it happened a few years ago, but I got into a small argument, when I didn't even mean to. It was normally Min-Jun who'd try to end it, but he wasn't there. That was around the time he stopped hanging around me. Being stupid, I didn't do anything about it, and now, it's probably still going on. I was too scared to confront them about it or something. Y'know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do. But what's your point?"

"My point is..." Rudy took a few seconds to find the right words, and suggested, "You should just get this over with, so that this drama won't drag on for ages. I'm such a hypocrite, I can't even do that myself, so... It's fine if you don't believe that my stupid ideas will work." His voice faded near the end of his sentence. Hearing this caused Hyun-a to frown, and wonder if everything was alright with this guy.

She already felt bad enough for being so negative and moody. Of course, at this point, she has to take his advice, but that isn't the main issue here anymore. Does she need to word things differently? Perhaps she's being too blunt? Was anything wrong in the first place?

"Of course, I'll try. I should've listened to you from the start." She soothed, "And don't think that. You’re pretty cool."

"Hah, really?" Rudy sighed in disbelief, to Hyun-a's dismay. "Well, thanks. I'm not really good at much though. Heck, I can't even lead this club properly..."

"Oh, I didn’t know you were in a club. Which one are you in charge of?"

"U-Uh, sorry, I totally meant someone else!" He stuttered. "I heard that someone else was a part of one and couldn't lead it. Yeah, that's totally it. There's no way I could do something like that, haha."

She smiled, "Alright. But... Can we take care of this tomorrow? And can you come with me, too? I'm afraid that I'll say the wrong things again.”

"Well, if you're fine with someone you just met, sure. I hope I'll be able to help though." He smiled back, shrugging his shoulders. "My friends are waiting for me. We're, uh...” _I can’t say that we’re in the clubroom..._ “We’re gonna meet up in the schoolyard."

"Okay, and I have to take care of a few things too. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah, of course. See you later, Hyun-a."

"Later. And thanks for everything."

 _Ugh, that was a terrible lie,_ Rudy mentally facepalmed. He didn't want Hyun-a to know that he was in a club, let alone leading one. _If she thinks that clubs only exist to 'bring bad people together,' then would she even wanna talk to me?_ He already started panicking over this small fact, which wasn’t unnatural.

Meanwhile, Hyun-a walked throughout the halls, and sighed to herself. _I need to ask Min-Jun about that club he’s in later on... And I really don’t wanna do this... I’m nervous. How am I supposed to deal with this? Man... What would Ahnjong do?_


	6. From a Distance (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy helps Hyun-a confront Kaitlyn and apologize.

The day was finally here, but Rudy’s nervousness consumed him. Based on what Hyun-a said yesterday, the Drama Club’s members seemed pretty extreme. Maybe a little too extreme for him. 

Since he was popular, he wasn’t used to getting into too many arguments or drama such as this. Even if he did get into a few when he was younger, Min-Jun and Ruby usually helped him deal with them. But this time, he’d have to confront the Drama Club with Hyun-a. 

Simply just relying on luck wouldn’t work. No, Rudy has to be prepared for everything. If not, then his life would be a total disaster. If not… An apocalypse would break out. The school would crumble down. The world would end. And Rudy was sure of it.

Well, maybe not all of that would happen, but it’s a possibility. 

As soon as everyone left, Rudy immediately made his way towards the same pinboard Hyun-a was in front of yesterday.

At least, he was going to. 

The first thing he saw once leaving the club room was Hyun-a right in front of a door across the hall, jumping up and down in order to reach the room label and remove it. 

So not only does she take down posters, she apparently removes labels, too? Good to know. 

Rudy had way too many questions, so he simply asked, "What are you doing?" 

As soon as she turned around, Hyun-a's face then met his. She calmly backed away, pretending like nothing happened. 

Yeah, you could easily tell that she was guilty.

"N-Nothing. I was just trying to fix the label... Thing."

_ This guy actually showed up. I’m surprised… I totally thought that I said the wrong things back there.  _

"Alright." Rudy raised an eyebrow at her and proceeded, "...Anyway, I'm here, I guess. Where's the Drama Club? The auditorium?"

"Calm down a bit, I just saw you," Hyun-a teased, "But yeah, it's in there. Before we go over there, just know that these people are a bit…extreme.”

“That’s what I thought…”

“Yeah, I say they belong in the Debate Club. And believe me, the kids there might give off a good first impression, but they actually really suck. I’ve met ‘em myself, y’know.”

"Oh, that does sound pretty bad. But, what are we gonna say? We can’t be rude or anything."

“Huh?”

_ Oh. I still haven’t apologized, have I?  _

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that!" Rudy stammered, "I-I just thought I'd mention it, because you said that you were still mad at them."

"No, it's fine. I should be apologizing. I was being a huge drama queen yesterday. I used to never hold grudges like that, haha… But you’re still willing to help me though, right?" 

_ Oh my god, _ Rudy thought,  _ She's so mature… I've finally met another logical and sane person here... _

"Of course, yeah! T-That's why I came here... Uh, I need to stop talking." 

"It's all good, dude. Just follow me!”

Hyun-a led Rudy to the auditorium, as a lingering silence fell upon them. Neither of them said anything, which made Rudy feel anxious. It took a while to arrive, since along with the gym area, it was around the elementary section of the school. Thank god they didn’t have to walk outside, for it was still freezing cold.

_I'm still waiting for her to say something..._ Rudy thought to himself, _But I guess there's nothing else to say… It’s just awkward._ _Maybe I can ask her what the club was like before all this happened._

He asked "Hey, Hyun-a? What was the club like when you made it? Has it always been like this?”

“Oh,” Hyun-a replied, turning around to face Rudy. “Well, the teachers said that I would be a great leader for the Drama Club, so I took the offer and invited everyone.”

“The teachers did? I thought you just wanted to make it yourself.”

“Nah. I’ve been in a couple of clubs before, but I didn’t really like ‘em at all. So, it was thanks to the teachers that I made the Drama Club. Someone gave up on it the previous year, so I thought that I might as well take it up!”

“That sounds nice.”

“Yeah! It started off fine, but I ended up getting a whole bunch of work from English class, and wanted to write my own stuff at the same time. So, like I told you, I passed the ownership to one of my best friends Kaitlyn. She didn't use to be toxic, either. I didn't know why she suddenly became mean, and I still don't.”

“Well, I guess everyone changes.”

“Yeah, you’re right. And I probably gave you the wrong idea earlier, but I don’t exactly hate her. I like her, but not exactly.”

“Hmm.” 

_ So it was starting off pretty well then, huh? Wait a minute… Our club is the same. It’s doing fine. Will ours fall apart, too? I wish that I could ask what she thinks... _

The silence continued, until they finally reached the auditorium. Opening the two large doors, Hyun-a stayed in front of Rudy as they both walked down a few stairs. Before they were able to proceed, the small number of people in the Drama Club noticed them, due to the sound of the door.

A disembodied voice hollered, "Hol' up! Who're you guys?"

A girl with maroon-colored hair tied up in a bun hopped off the stage, being the first to notice the two students who walked in. The other members continued to talk among themselves.

"They interrupted our practice."

"That girl looks familiar..."

"Why don't y'all go up to them and find out?"

"Is that Rudy? I know that guy."

"That girl with the brown hair is Min-Jun's older cousin, right?"

Their comments suddenly stopped, as the redhead walked up towards Hyun-a and Rudy.

"You kinda ruined our practice," She spoke with a lisp, "And we were just 'bout to get to the finale! What gives, huh?"

"Hey Kaitlyn." Hyun-a replied under her breath.

"What're you doing here, Hyun? I thought ya left a long time ago. And why'd you bring Rudy?"

"I need to tell you about something. If you'd let me speak, then that would be great."

"Alright, then go ahead. We don't have much time left, so please just hurry it up."

Kaitlyn was always the type of person who'd speak their mind, which made a bit of sense. Her way of speaking was quite straightforward, but Hyun-a knew that she didn’t mean any harm. However, the thing that bothered her the most about Kaitlyn was her tendency to judge quickly. But now, Hyun-a knew that was pure hypocrisy.

Luckily, even now, they still had a few things in common. They were strict-rule followers, and they were quick to realize their mistakes. Although, at least Hyun-a wasn’t obsessive over her own looks.

Since they already understood each other, maybe this wouldn't be so bad. Broken friendships are hard to fix, but Hyun-a figured this would be the only time she’d have to confront anyone like this, so she might as well try to become friends with Kaitlyn again. 

On the other hand, despite not even being a part of the conflict, Rudy was beyond nervous. He didn't want a fight to break out, neither did he want to be brought into anything. All he wanted was for them to make up. He probably should’ve stood up for himself all those years ago, after all.

Hyun-a took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm down before proving her point. Looking around nervously, she finally found herself being able to relax, knowing that Rudy was there, and that nothing bad could happen. 

Hopefully. 

She first questioned, "So, uh, Kaitlyn, how's everything going? Is the club doing fine?"

Kaitlyn scoffed, "Yeah, sure. Our practice was goin’ well, 'til you interrupted it. How are you holdin' up? Heh, still pretty salty, I'm guessin'?"

"I’m trying to apologize. I don’t want any trouble." 

“Jeez, y’know I was kiddin’, right?”

Hyun-a furrowed her eyebrows as she and Kaitlyn stared intensely at each other. 

Nevermind, the tension was high. 

"Oh, of course, I almost forgot,” Kaitlyn continued, “You pick apart a conversation bit by bit and literally over analyze everything. Y’know, this reminds me of the time you—“

"Nobody asked,” Hyun-a interrupted, giving her a piercing glare of disdain.

This action immediately made Kaitlyn want to strangle her. But no, she can't. Hyun-a came to apologize, and that's what she's gonna hear: The apology. It's not like she has to say much else.

“By the way, I noticed your lack of members here.” Hyun-a pointed to the stage. “Don't you remember what Miss Ashley told us? She said that the Drama Club should at least have more than ten people, and I only see seven."

"I-It ain't your job to tell me that."

"The truth hurts, Kaitie."

"You’re still calling me by that stupid nickname, even though ya hate me now? I like your style.”

“I— I don’t hate you.”

“Like hell you don’t. You’re still hella salty that I kicked you out, girl.”

"I’m trying to put this behind me, but I guess you don’t want to. What a poor-sport..."

"I hate you,” Kaitlyn spat, glaring at Hyun-a, then to Rudy. 

_ Wait, that guy’s been here the entire time? Dang. _

"...Hey, what're you doing here, popular kid?"

"Hey, uh, nothing really." He politely added, "And my name is Rudy."

"He's here to make sure a fight doesn't break out, which I hope won't happen,” Hyun-a clarified, “But it looks like you want one to. And speaking of that, is everyone still getting into fights? I take it that you guys are, since there are fewer people than before. They probably left, right? Couldn’t handle your constant criticism?”

"You…” Kaitlyn groaned, “Yeah, they left, but why does that matter to ya? You left a year ago, and I doubt you'd wanna come back again."

"You're right, I don't wanna come back. I just wanted to know if you’re the same person you were before."

“...What are ya implyin’?”

“Like I said, they probably left because you kept criticizing them. And, like, I don’t even know how you ended up like that, but…”

"Are you saying it was my fault that they left?! I can't believe you! I swear, I'm gonna kill ya." Kaitlyn crossed her arms in annoyance, and furrowed her eyebrows at Hyun-a.

"Please don't kill me. I have more to say, girl.”

Hyun-a did seem to be a bit more relaxed now, but her bluntness never ceased. At least she was trying. Plus, it made a bit of sense. She's been mad at this person for more than a year, after all.

"Anyways," Hyun-a continued, "I don't wanna start a fight with you, remember? So let me apologize, please."

"So what? Are ya gonna expect an apology from me? 'Cuz if so, that ain't happenin'. I have nothing to apologize for. In fact, you should be the one apologizin'. You were being such a drama queen about it."

Of course, all Hyun-a would get in return was Kaitlyn being Kaitlyn. This attitude was nothing new. 

"I still feel like you should be apologizing too, since you were the one who started it. I’m not the one who changed after a few days.” Hyun-a teased, “Heh, the leadership probably got to you.”

"Jesus Christ, just forget about it! We're trying to finish a rehearsal here, so just get out! And no, it wasn't even my fault. I can't prove to you who actually did, because they left a long time ago! And it was because of you!"

The other Drama Club members were still on the stage, whispering to each other once again.

"I just wanna start already."

"I've heard of Hyun-a. Apparently she used to be super popular."

"How long is this gonna go on for, anyway?"

"Not gonna lie, I kinda wanna marry Rudy."

"Oh, Hyun-a is Min-Jun's older cousin. For real, that guy has a weird obsession with dark magic and crap."

This is what Rudy expected, of course. The argument was just all about passing the blame to each other. And it wasn't even funny or entertaining (like ‘how it was in sitcoms,’ Ruby would say). He wanted it to stop, and he figured that if these two went on, things would get worse. So again, what's he supposed to say now?

He's always assumed that due to his 'poor leadership skills,' he'd always be unable to resolve anything, let alone say what he needs to say. But this time, it was dire, and he felt like he really needed to step up and stop the argument. Having a bit more courage wouldn’t hurt.

He stated, "Hold on a minute, you guys need to stop blaming each other. That's what caused you both to get in this mess in the first place. So, I think you guys should just apologize. Neither of you want any more trouble, right?"

"Nobody asked you, but whatever." Kaitlyn pouted, looking off to the side. "Jeez, I haven’t even talked to ya before, but at least ya seem to be the only smart one here.”

Hyun-a gasped, “Woah, you haven’t talked to Rudy before? That’s, like, impossible!”

“Hyun, there’s a time and place for everythin’.”

“I’m just joking.” 

“Whatevs. Anyway, I’m only gonna apologize if you do first.”

“But weren’t you the one who kicked me out? You were the first one here to do the wrong thing.”

“Ugh.”

Rudy could’ve sworn that he was about to lose it. “Guys… Can we get this over with, please?”

Kaitlyn sighed, “Yeah, yeah, fine. I'm sorry Hyun. I didn't realize how rude I was, and whatever. This is so cheesy." 

It didn’t seem sincere, but in Hyun-a’s eyes, she knew it was a legit apology. She could tell.

"Hey, sometimes cheesy is good,” She chuckled, “And y'know, I'm sorry too, I guess. I promise that I won’t be a drama queen about it anymore.”

“Nice. Drama queen you ain’t that cool.”

“Good to know.”

Hyun-a sighed, and reached out her hand towards Kaitlyn. In the end, the both made up and shook hands.

Hyun-a smiled and added, "There, is everything good now? Can we live like normal human beings?"

"Sure. I guess I'll see ya later. Sorry for all the trouble." Kaitlyn smiled, and walked back down the stairs. 

“Later.”

Kaitlyn looked back and commented, "Y'know, I'm a pretty good leader, but not a perfect one. Neither are you, but... if you come back, I’ll pay ya a thousand bucks.”

She walked back up onto the stage, as the other members were still left confused. Rudy let out a sigh of relief, and left the auditorium along with Hyun-a.

*****

"See? That went well, didn't it? Did you find anything out yet?" Rudy asked Hyun-a, as they walked towards the front of the main school building.

"Yeah, it went well. And I guess she isn't the 'terrible person' I thought she was. It was surprisingly a bit easier to talk to her,” Hyun-a replied with a smile. "I'm glad I got it over with. Thank god..."

"That's great. Are you thinking of joining that club again?”

"Probably not. I'm still not a huge fan of clubs. Sorry man.”

"It’s fine.” Before Hyun-a could leave, Rudy asked, “Wait, are we friends Hyun-a? Just wondering…” 

"Oh yeah, we are. I swear, you ask the weirdest things, dude. You helped me out and stuff, too. Maybe I can return the favor somehow,” Hyun-a happily replied.

"Haha, you don't have to. Well, I'll be waiting for you out in the halls tomorrow."

"Yeah, totally." Taking a few seconds to think, Hyun-a stopped in her tracks and paused. "...Wait a minute. Why are you always hanging around the second floor, anyways? Shouldn't your classroom be downstairs?"

"W-Why?! Oh..." Rudy started to panic once again, and couldn't think of anything to say. 

Time for another terrible lie.

"W-Well, that's because I have a friend in high school, and I meet up with them everyday! Y-Yup, that's right."

"Oh, that's neat. I actually thought you'd have some friends in high school."

"Seriously? How come?"

"You're a lot smarter than the kids in middle school, that's for sure. I feel like anyone would mistake you for a high schooler."

"R-Really? Thanks..." 

"But, the way you present yourself is terrible. That needs some work."

At least she was being honest. 

"What..? S-Sorry, I didn't know."

"Wait, that's not what I meant. I mean... You should be a bit more... confident, I dunno. All the encouraging parents say that, hah.” 

"I'll do my best. Thanks, Hyun-a." They both smiled at each other, and Rudy added, "See you tomorrow." He waved goodbye as Hyun-a walked out of the school building. He turned around, and opened the door to the Anime Club, in hope that it was clean. Every single day, Rudy had to clean up the other four's mess by himself. And to his surprise...

No, not to his surprise. It was a mess again. 

At least that gave him something to do that evening (even if he hated it.) But in the end, it'll be worth it. Besides, at least he could tell they had fun. He was also able to help someone out that day, so that's great too. While he was cleaning, all he could think about was what Hyun-a said. 

_ Confident... _ Rudy thought to himself, as he put a few books away.  _ That's impossible, I'm not even a good leader. I can't even communicate properly. Ugh, why am I so awkward..? _

He moved on to stacking the chairs, and attempted to lift at least one of them up, but couldn't. He didn't have the strength to, which made him frustrated.

_ Ugh, I wish Nagisa were here, they could do this in a flash. But they're probably too busy with fishing or whatever... _

He finished cleaning the clubroom, and made his way to the door.

_ But... If everyone else, especially Ruby, thinks that I'm the perfect leader, then I probably shouldn't disappoint them. I hope that everyone here in this club ends up having a great time. I don’t wanna ruin it for them.  _

Leaving the club room, he shut the door and finally went home.

*****

This wasn't to his knowledge, but a girl with wavy, jade-colored hair and sharp, hazel eyes was standing in the corner of the hallway, observing his movement. 

She whispered to herself, once he exited the building, "There it is. I found it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good for you, random student. Maybe you _will_ get to marry Rudy someday.


	7. Something Important

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There’s a new member of the club, and everyone greets him. Meanwhile, Ruby looks back to the time when she made an important decision.

It was the first month of 5th grade, which would seemingly be quite exciting, yet it was a day like any other for Ruby. Her daily routine consisted of going to school, moping around, getting back home, and doing nothing. There was nothing else to do, anyway.

Ever since the very first week of school, she had been spending all of her time after school trying out numerous clubs and taking part in activities, but she wasn’t good at any of them. Even if it involved the simplest things, such as swimming, drawing, writing, playing board games or acting, she just couldn’t do it, no matter how hard she tried. She eventually just gave up, and decided to be depressed about it for the rest of the school year.

That is, until someone changed that.

Since Miette and Lisa had already left the classroom, Ruby had nobody to talk to, so she assumed that she might as well just leave. However, that was the perfect set-up for what was to come.

A feminine-looking boy with bright orange hair and a glistening presence walked into the classroom. He noticed Ruby's moping, and out of curiosity, he sat down beside her and repeatedly tapped her shoulder to grab her attention.

“Hello? You there?”

Ruby lifted her head and looked at the kid beside her. She replied, “Oh, yeah. I’m here.”

“Thank god. Man, I thought you were dead or something! You good?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Ruby replied with a flat tone. 

“You don’t look fine, man. But whatever you say! What’s your name?”

“Uh…” 

Should she even trust this person? She barely knew who he was, and he looked much older than her. She just flat out couldn’t understand why people thought she was older than her age, honestly. But did that really matter?

This boy was the first person to be concerned about her, despite them being total strangers.

She finally responded, “It’s Ruby. What’s yours?”

“Dennis, and I’m from the Netherlands. I’m only gonna be here for a bit, but it’s nice to meet ya!” He mysteriously paused, “Hey…”

“Huh?” Was he gonna say something bad? 

“What’s with that white hair of yours? You look like an old grandma!”

Ouch. 

“It’s not white…” Ruby felt the urge to leave after he said that, for some reason. It’s not like she felt uncomfortable, but she hoped that he wouldn’t throw any more punches.

“I’m joking, I’m joking. Grandma hair is pretty dope. Anyway, whatcha doing?”

“Well, I’m moping around ‘cuz I’m not good at anything. Wanna join me?”

“Huh?” Dennis blinked and put up his feet onto the desk in front of him. “Hmm, depends. Like, to what extent do I have to be bad at something? Really bad? Or, like, really, really bad? Do I have to suck at being cool?”

“Anything.”

“...Dude, you’re kinda ruining my vibe. I just came here from another country a few days ago, and this is how my first day in this school is gonna go? That’s low.”

Ruby had to admit that she felt bad. 

Dennis added, “I even wanted to do something super cool…”

This immediately grabbed Ruby’s attention. “What do you wanna do?”

“Eh, I dunno, maybe take some pics of this place before I leave next month, or something. There’s always these really cool events back at home in September, so that’s why we’re going back.”

“Why’d you come over here, though?”

“U-Uh, some family emergency, I-I dunno.”

The mood suddenly dropped. Why did it drop?

“You said you wanted to take some pictures…” Ruby stood up from her seat. “I’ll help you with that. It’s the least I can do.”

“Really?” Dennis’ eyes shone, and his face was gleaming with excitement. 

“Yeah. I ruined your ‘vibe,’ so I wanna make up for it. Plus, what’s the point in going to another country and not having fun? And if you’re gonna have fun, at least take some pics to remember. That’s how it was with me and Puerto Rico. I used to live there.”

“Ooh, cool! Do all spanish people look like grandmas?”

“Not exactly…” She didn’t let it bother her too much this time. “Anyway, before we left, me and my bro took some pictures of our old house and the neighborhood, so we could remember everything. Maybe I can show you later.”

“For real? That’s awesome!” Dennis ran to the classroom’s door and looked back towards Ruby. “C’mon, c’mon, let’s go already!”

“Wait, I’m not that fast…” 

~~~~~

It was another regular school day. After the events with Hyun-a and Kaitlyn, Rudy started acting normal again. It was a frequent thing for Ruby to question her brother's strange behavior, since she's always worrying about him, and this time it was no exception. Luckily, she noticed that he started feeling a bit better, and felt like there was no need to confront him about anything. And so, attending the club's activities one again, she suddenly got a strange text that came out of nowhere.

Was it from her mother? A total stranger? Someone from another dimension? Was it a death threat? 

No matter what it may be, Ruby’s the type of person to respond to a text as soon as she reads it. Doing otherwise would be a crime.

Turning on her phone, Ruby entered her password and went to her messages. Apparently, these messages were coming from someone by the name of "Dennis."

That name was familiar.

_Hold up, Dennis? He's that person I met last year, right?_

She assumed that all communication with him would be cut off, since he went back to the Netherlands and probably made new friends. But she was proved wrong today.

He really _was_ a good person.

She both gladly and quickly befriended a bright orange-haired, annoying, and loud boy with raspberry-colored eyes, and she was proud of it. If it weren’t for that meeting, things would be different now. 

Would she even be here?

The message read:

_hey whats up_

Typical Dennis. It was short as ever.

Ruby wrote back, _Hi!!!! Hows it going?_

_srry i havent been able to talk, school rlly rlly sucks. but get this, we’re back in missouri baby_

Ruby spoke aloud, “Huh?” She rapidly typed, _Ur gonna be back?! wait when did u get here???_

_few weeks ago, mom finally recognized that i like it here lol so hiiiiii_

Why didn’t Ruby find out about this sooner? _Were u already in a class or something?_

_Yeah i dont think u noticed me, i mean we’re a grade apart so i dont think we’d be in the same class lolol but where are u rn?_

Ruby still couldn’t believe it. One of her best friends was finally coming back to Missouri, and that very person was making light of their return.

“He...” She blurted out of disbelief, “He’s coming back!?” 

She replied with, _Im so glad ur coming back!!!!! and yknow the highschool area? second floor, room in front of the water fountain across the hallway. we’re the anime club._

Dennis left her message on ‘read,’ and didn’t bother to respond. It didn’t annoy her, but at the same time, it left her anxious. 

Was this a prank? He could’ve been joking, right?

"Ruby? You good?” 

Lisa began to tap Ruby's shoulder, and eventually waved her hand in front of her face. 

Still not receiving a response, Lisa roughly cupped Ruby’s face with her hands and hollered, "Why aren't you saying anything?! Is something wrong with you? Are you dying?”

Ruby snapped out of her thoughts and frantically replied, "I'm here, I'm here! What is it?!"

"You've been staring at your phone screen for ages! What's the matter?! You've also been ignoring me! Is something wrong with you?!"

"No,” Ruby reassured, urging Lisa to let go of her face, “I'm fine! I was just reading something, that's all!" Once Lisa finally let go, she continued, "Someone's gonna visit the club. His name is Dennis.” 

"Ooh, a boy?” Lisa asked out of curiosity, suddenly giddy, "Is he your boyfriend? Your ex? Oh, oh, your lover from a past life?”

"No, he's just my friend. Not everything has to do with roma— Wait, what the heck was that last one?!" Ruby lost the seriousness in her voice, and started cracking up at Lisa's previous statement. "But wait, what are the others talking about anyway? It looks like they're having an... argument? Did something happen?”

"Oh, they aren’t arguing. Min-Jun was just wondering how it's like living in a large house like Rudy's. After a while, they all started talking about houses for some reason. Nothing interesting. Although, I do wanna live in a mansion someday... That would be nice.”

"Oh, okay.” Ruby attempted to get the other three's attention afterwards, exclaiming, "Hey, you three! There's someone coming over to check out the club today! I think he's coming real soon."

"I mean, it's cool that you invited someone, but I have a feeling that'll make this club even more, uh... chaotic..." Min-Jun sighed.

"That's neat... But do we know who he is? Is he one of those bad kids from 9th grade?!" Rudy began to panic, "Is he gonna try and expose our club and shut it down? Is that what he's gonna do?"

"Calm down, dude. Not everyone here is a member of the mafia,” Min-Jun groaned. "I just hope this guy isn't annoying."

As soon as Min-Jun spoke, Dennis burst the door open and made his grand entrance… By just calmly walking in.

Very calmly.

It was almost too calm.

“Hey, Dennis!” Ruby smiled widely and waved towards him. “What’s up?” She continued to analyze his strange behavior. “Uh… Is something wrong?”

“No… It’s perfect,” He mumbled.

“What’s per—“

“What’s up, party people?! Embrace your inner Spaniel! WOO!”

Min-Jun muttered under his breath, “What the hell…?”

“Roll call time! Everyone assemble!” Dennis dramatically pointed to Ruby and shouted, “Go, Grandma Girl!” 

“‘Kay!” Ruby stood up and declared, “Assemble! We’ll crush the world like roaches!” 

“You’re not putting enough spirit into it! Louder!”

“WE’LL CRUSH THE WORLD LIKE ROACHES!”

“YOU’RE BEING TOO LOUD!”

“Uh…” Min-Jun mumbled, “...I think I’m just gonna go.” 

Before he could leave, Dennis hopped over to him and gasped, “Hey, I know you! You're that super short grumpy guy I saw in class earlier! We can totally be friends, now! So, what's your name, Grumpy Guy?!" 

"It's Min-Jun,” He replied. 

"Do you go by any nicknames or something? I’m kinda a nickname person, as you can tell. That’s just how cool I am.”

"Yeah, but only my friends can call me by my nickname. And no, I couldn't tell."

"Well, I'll just call you Grumpy Guy. That's much easier, isn't it?"

"Whatever. At least it's better than 'Yellow Guy...'" Min-Jun mumbled. He shot a glare at Nagisa, as they mouthed a 'what?' in response.

As soon as he spotted Ruby, Dennis quickly rushed over to her seat and hugged her tightly, having no sense of personal space. "Ahh! There you are, Ruby! I missed you so much!" Once again, she didn't have a chance to talk, so he just went on. "Whoa, you look so different! Why's your hair in a ponytail? And I'm, like, _so_ much taller than you! The only thing that hasn't changed is that you still look like an old lady! Everyone in your family does, with that white hair!" 

Nagisa paid no attention to what was going on, but Min-Jun was grimacing at this sight, and Rudy got a bit irritated.

"Hey, please get off of my sister." Rudy insisted.

"Whoops." Dennis backed off, and let Ruby talk. She nervously laughed, but eventually gained her composure.

"I didn’t think that I’d see you again!” Ruby inquired, “How was the trip here?”

"Awesome! I miss Missouri, like, so much! I especially missed the pizza! Anyway, who are these people? Are they your bodyguards?”

"They’re my friends, and we’re in a club, but... we haven't really been making any progress with recruiting people lately. I guess people aren't interested.”

"Well,” Lisa interrupted, “You already know who Ruby and Rudy are, so lemme cut to the chase! My name’s Lisa, and I'm the club's super cute and awesome leader! Over here is Min-Jun, that grumpy guy, and over here is Nagisa! You might not know this ‘cuz you're new, but—"

“Wait," Rudy paused. "Since when were you the leader? We never decided on that. Plus, they can say their introductions by themselves..."

"Aren't I the leader, though? I lead most of the stuff we do here."

"...Is being a co-leader good enough?"

"Sure, fine. I guess I'm just a co-leader." Lisa groaned, but suddenly turned to face Dennis again and quickly changed her mood, grinning widely. "Anyway, nice to meet ya! You're joining the club, right?"

Dennis replied, "Only ‘cuz Ruby’s here. Y’all are cool, but she’s, like, way cooler, no offense."

“Well, here we go,” Min-Jun exasperated.

"Hmm? What's the matter, Grumpy Guy? Are you starting to get shy ‘cuz some super cool popular kid is in front of ya?" Dennis teased, "I can give you some exposure if that'll help you get over—“

"No. And I could care less about social media." Min-Jun attempted to avert his eyes, but he couldn’t escape the annoying kid. 

"What? That's laaaame... I have tons of followers right here. Want me to prove it? It takes a few seconds. Hey, hey, look!” He walked up to Min-Jun, kneeling down to his level (because even if he were sitting, Min-Jun was pretty short). Dennis annoyingly brushed against his shoulders, and held up his phone with a smug look on his face. "And hey, why don't we take a selfie together now? ...Alright, we're doing it! Three, two, one..."

"I didn't agree to this."

Dennis snapped the photo and immediately posted it for the public to see. At last, he backed off of Min-Jun and sat down at the table.

"There we go, perfect! Don't worry, you look great!"

No, he did not.

The photo was blurry, and you couldn't even make out their faces. If it's one thing you need to know about Dennis, it's that he's poor with camerawork. That's why his father always takes photos for him. And what really ticked Min-Jun off, is that this random guy was getting all up in his personal space. At least the others respected that, but not Dennis. He wanted to tell Dennis to stop, but Rudy gave him a quick glare. He assumed it was for him to calm down, and he tried to do so.

"How come that guy hasn't said anything yet?" Dennis asked, pointing to Nagisa. "He's been silent the whole time. Wait, are they a boy or girl?"

"Ah, don't worry. They just aren't much of a talker,” Lisa clarified.

"I can talk,” Nagisa commented. It was inaudible to everyone except for Ruby and Dennis.

"So,” Rudy questioned, “What do you like to do and stuff? Maybe we like the same things, I dunno.”

"Not much, man,” Dennis replied. “I mainly just take photos of random things, and have 'em become instant hits, ‘cuz I’m cool that way. By the way, isn't it easy for you, too? I heard that you're really popular, and that you get asked out a lot! We're both pretty lucky, aren't we?" 

"Don't remind me,” Min-Jun complained.

"I guess," Rudy responded, "But it kinda bothers me after a while. I don't, uh… like it as much as you do."

Dennis blurted, "What?! That makes no sense! Shouldn't you be really happy about it?" He turned to face Ruby, who was looking down at the table. "And you too, Ruby! You still have a bunch of friends, right?”

"Oh, yeah.” Ruby looked up and continued, “But I just like to hang around Rudy the most.”

"...Woah, are you even Ruby anymore? You’ve changed, like, a whole lot! ‘Cuz I remember in 5th grade, you—"

"N-Nothing happened!” Ruby nervously chuckled, “What are you talking about?” 

"Whaaat~? Ruby, is your brain dying?”

“No… Why?”

“Oh my god, did you lose your memories?!”

“What? No!”

“I wasn’t expecting any of this…” Min-Jun facepalmed and continued to sigh. “Can I go home now?”

“I mean, if you want to, go ahead,” said Rudy.

“W-Wait, you weren’t supposed to say— Nevermind, I’ll stay.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Sorry Dennis,” Ruby began, “But, uh… I don’t really wanna talk about it. Is that fine? I know I’m being weird and all, but…”

“I won’t say a word!” Dennis beamed, “I’ll do anything to make sure that this is the best reunion of all time! Starting with a party!”

Min-Jun cringed. “A what?” 

“A party!” Dennis ran up to the whiteboard and grabbed a dry erase marker. “It’s gonna be, like, super awesome! I’ll invite all my fans, buy a ton of balloons, and, uh, hook up with some hot girls! It’s gonna be great!” 

As he spoke, he wrote down:

_‘geweldig! plans: make a party and rock! guarantee to have veel plezier!’_

Lisa piped, “...I don’t understand what any of that says, but it looks fun! Count me in! Can I be the party planner?”

“Beep beep! Absolutely not!” Dennis snickered, “You’d hafta be me, which is impossible. Jammerlijik!”

“Aww man… I’m good at planning things…”

“Anyway, who’s the leader here? Can it be me?”

“Me, I guess.” Rudy slowly raised his hand. “I’m not a really good one, but I try.”

“Ooh! It’s Grandpa Guy!”

“What…?”

“Can we have, like, a super cool party? Can we invite the entire school?!”

“That’d be a bad idea, actually.”

“Nah! I’m gonna make the announcement!”

“Wait, you just asked me! What’s going on…?”

“What’s your name?”

“Uh, Rudy…”

Dennis ran straight to the door and exited the clubroom, hollering, “Hey, y’all! Rudy’s single and ready to mingle!”

“H-Huh?!” Rudy hastily ran up to him and dragged him back into the clubroom. “Q-Quiet…!”

“What, did I do something wrong?”

Hyun-a probably heard that. No, she did. At this point, she didn’t even bother to question what had just happened. She’s already witnessed a lot of weird things.

“He better not be staying forever,” Min-Jun muttered.

“Ahah,” Ruby chuckled, “It won’t be that bad, I promise. Just think of him as another Lisa.”

“Yeah, a more annoying Lisa. I can’t even deal with one of ‘em.”

Min-Jun’s words immediately grabbed Nagisa’s attention. “One… One-lined Pencilfish.”

“N-No, that’s not what I said,” Min-Jun corrected. 

“Hahah, you sure know a lot about fish,” Ruby giggled.

All of this reminded her of the times she spent with Dennis the year before. It wasn’t even for too long, but she knew that if she hadn’t met him, the Anime Club’s everyday activities wouldn’t exist. And it’s the little things that keep her excited. 

Nagisa’s randomness, Lisa’s attitude, Min-Jun’s funny comments, and Rudy’s thoughtfulness. Those were the traits that made the club lively, and that’s what led Ruby to adore it. 

It’s not like she could do anything else, so taking part in the club’s ‘activities’ is something to look forward to everyday. With Dennis added into the mix, it might as well be even better. 

As Rudy continued to urge Dennis to stop hollering his ludicrous statements in the background, Ruby let out a sigh of dissatisfaction.

Even if it was for a little bit, she was happy, but that wasn’t important. All that mattered was her brother continuing to be the leader, and the club going well. 

She wanted to have at least one distinctive talent, but maybe she should work on that later. 

If things could continue being like this, her problems wouldn’t be solved, but she sure could help other people. That was the only thing on her mind.

~~~~~

“Thanks for helping me take all those cool pics,” Dennis exclaimed, “You’re the best!”

“It’s really nothing,” Ruby said, as she scratched her head. “I mean, our school’s pretty big, but it’s not that impressive.”

“No, it’s, like, super awesome! Back in the Netherlands, it was almost like we were going to a prison everyday! Isn’t that terrible?!”

“That does sound pretty bad… Anyway, what are you planning to do when you get back home?”

“Hmm,” He shrugged, “I have no idea! I still don’t really know what to do with my life, but hey, maybe I can become, like, super popular someday. My, u-uh, _dad_ told me that I can!” 

“Good luck! I’ll make ten different accounts and like your posts,” Ruby joshed.

“Nah, they gotta be different people! Wouldn’t that make me look cooler?”

“I guess so.”

“So, what are you gonna do? You said that you weren’t good at anything, right?”

“Well, I’m good at playing sports and video games, but not much else, really…” Ruby sighed. “I don’t even wanna be good at playing games.”

“How come?”

“I keep beating my brother. I think It’s annoying him.”

“I mean, you’re siblings, right? No matter how many times they beat each other up on TV, they always make up in the end. You should be fine.”

“I dunno about that… Lately, I’ve just been trying to avoid him because I feel bad, but that’s just being mean.”

“Well, maybe there’s a way you can apologize to him! Make him some carrot cake or something! Carrot cake is awesome!”

“Maybe…”

“Oh, and you said you were good at playing sports, right? How many games have you won?”

“Only a few. My teammates said I was good, but…”

“But?”

“It’s not like it matters. I won’t be a professional in the future, or anything. I’m just doing it for fun.”

“Then just don’t do it for fun! If you’re, like, really good at it, then you should just keep doing it. Maybe you’ll be popular, like me!”

“You’re right… That’s it! I know what I’m good at now! I’m gonna be a part of FIFA!”

“You go girl!”

“Thanks, Dennis. I guess I just needed someone to remind me. I haven’t really been focusing on sports lately. That’s probably because I’ve been moping around all this time, haha.”

“No problem!”

“Anyway… Wait, if I’m gonna do that, then how am I supposed to apologize to my brother? I’m just gonna be in a sports team and rub it in his face! That’s not good at all!”

“Hmm… Do something big for him! Like, ka-blam! Do something that’s gonna change his life! Like, give him a wife!”

“I don’t think I can do that… He doesn’t wanna marry anyone ‘till he’s older, anyway.”

“Man… Then, uh, solve one of his biggest issues! Like, it has to be so big, he freaking won’t eat or sleep without solving it!”

“I don’t think there’s anything like that going on, but… He isn’t really proud of himself. I don’t know how to say it, but yeah. That’s why I don’t wanna rub anything in his face.”

“Ohhhh. Well, I dunno who your brother is, so what do you think you can do? I’m not a therapist.”

“Hmm…” Ruby took a deep breath, along with a moment to think. She’s thought over this sort of thing multiple times already, but somehow, she felt like this would finally be the time she could help her brother. 

_It has to be important… Yeah, something important to me. That’s right, I don’t mind giving it up. If this’ll help him, then…_

“I got it. I’m gonna give this idea to Rudy instead.”

Dennis questioned, “What’s the idea?”

“Remember what I mentioned about my brother? I’ve tried to help him for years, but… none of my ideas have worked. So, I was thinking…”


	8. Shooting for Our Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagisa and Lisa both look back to the time period their lives changed forever.

Four years ago, back in Ishinomaki, Japan, lived Nagisa Yuuki and Lisa Nakahara. Together, they dwelled in the Ishinomaki Kyoku Elementary School, and slowly but surely began to become friends with each other. The memory was distant, and by now, Lisa had already forgotten how they met, but their numerous encounters were still remembered. 

It was a rather small school, so anyone would think it’d be easy to meet other people. However, that wasn’t the case for Nagisa. Even there, they couldn’t escape the multitude of rumors that were passed around everyday. Their only escape was through Lisa. Thanks to her, they were able to at least make a single friend, and eventually a few others. Without Lisa, they’d still be lonely. Without Lisa, they wouldn’t be able to speak. Without Lisa, they couldn’t have opened up the way they did with Rudy.

Since Nagisa was a grade above her, it was hard for the both of them to meet up everyday, but they still made it work somehow. They’d always talk during lunch, recess and cleaning. 

And so, one day, Lisa came up to Nagisa in the classroom for a not-so-serious matter.

“Hey, Nagi! Listen, listen! Look at what I made in crafts today!”

“...Hm.” Nagisa continued to stare at the window. Was Lisa being ignored?

“Hey! Hey! Look over here!”

“Hmm…” Ignored again? That’s illegal.

“Nagi! I’m gonna tell on you!”

“Hmmmm.” Just what were they thinking about? Sure, this happened all the time, but now it was unacceptable. Lisa wouldn’t take it.

Maybe pretending to give up would work. “Hmph. Fine, I guess you don’t wanna see. Just so you know, it’s, uh, really awesome.”

It went silent.

Why wasn’t Nagisa responding?

“Ugh, uh, I drew a fish…!” 

Nagisa blinked and finally turned around. “Huh? Sorry.”

“Eugh…” Lisa facepalmed, but immediately went back to her usual mood. “Anyway, what did you make?”

“Hmm.” Nagisa whispered in Japanese into Lisa’s ear. 

Wait, this is supposed to be in English.

“Woah, that’s super cool! Wanna see what I made?”

Nagisa looked up to the ceiling and replied, “No.”

“What? Why not?”

“No.”

“You just said that…” Lisa cleared her throat. “So, what do you wanna do on Sunday?”

“Hm?”

“I know, I know, the week just started, but there’s literally gonna be nothing to do. Like, school’s boring! Especially this one! It sucks!”

Nagisa shook their head in reply.

Lisa cringed and crossed her arms. “Uh, yeah, it does. Haven’t you heard what they say about you? It’s so stupid! I just wanna tell on them, but Arakaki-sensei won’t believe us. I wanna go…”

“Huh?”

“Remember what I told you last month?” Lisa’s face suddenly lit up. “I wanna go to Tokyo! It’s so cool and big, and the schools are awesome! We just live in Ishinomaki. There’s nothing cool about this place. Don’t you think so?”

Nagisa nodded in agreement. 

“Awesome! Hey, maybe we can save up a bunch of money so we can go! How much does it cost to move there?”

Lost in thought once again, Nagisa repeatedly tapped their foot on the floor and played with their sleeves. 

“I’ll just search it up when I get home. Mommy lets me use her computer.” Lisa gasped, “But it’s gonna cost a lot of money! Ooh, maybe we can get on a plane… ooh, or a helicopter!”

Nagisa’s eyes sparkled. “Spin?”

“Yeah, you like helicopters? Maybe we can ride in one together, someday! That’d be awesome!”

“They spin…”

“Yup! Man, I can’t wait! It’s gonna be amazing! Maybe I could invite my other friends, too!”

Nagisa looked downwards. Were they upset?

“Huh? What’s wrong, Nagi?”

No response.

Lisa nervously chuckled, “O-Oh, don’t worry, they aren’t mean or anything! I gotta introduce you to them!” She paused, “Uh, is that okay, or…?”

Nagisa nodded. “Okay.”

“Yay! Hey, maybe we can all go to the manga museum on Sunday! I know we’ve already been there before, but won’t it be better with more people?”

Nagisa wanted to disagree, but if it meant that Lisa would be happy if she had more people coming along, then going with the flow would be the best option. So in reply, they nodded.

“Glad you think so too! But… I thought you didn’t like being around a lot of people. Are you really, really sure?”

Nagisa shook their head.

“Okay, so I’m gonna have to introduce you to my friends, then! Let’s do that right now!”

“Hm?”

“C’mon, c’mon! Everyone’s outside for recess!” Lisa hastily ran out of the classroom, and Nagisa followed her, walking at a slow pace. 

Unlike Lisa, Nagisa wasn’t the type of person to hang out with numerous people, or play outside. They preferred to stay inside and focus on more important things, such as studying ocean life. That was their only interest, and they wouldn’t want to do anything else. Everyday, they would draw pictures of fish and go to a nearby aquarium without growing tired of it. Doing anything else would be impossible, and that was one of the many reasons why Nagisa couldn’t find themself making any friends other than Lisa.

But maybe that could change.

Once the duo finally arrived at the playground, Lisa immediately began to look for her other friends. Nagisa anxiously looked around, and just waited for the moment they could leave. This wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, it just wasn’t a part of their daily routine.

Once her eyes landed on her friends, Lisa exclaimed, “There they are!” She ran to them straight away, and motioned Nagisa to come along. She waved and hollered, “Miharu! Sonoko!” 

Miharu turned around and greeted, “Oh, hey.”

Sonoko chimed in, “What’s up, Rentaro?”

That name again?

“Jeez, I told you,” Lisa corrected, “My name is Lisa! Call me Lisa!”

“I know, I know, I’m just kidding,” Sonoko giggled. “Anyway, did you see what Miharu got from her dad?”

“They don’t need to know,” Miharu commented.

“Heh, I’m gonna say it anyway! Take a look at this!” She grabbed the plush doll from Miharu’s hands (which was hidden behind her back), and showcased it to Lisa. “It’s a cat! His name is Yakitori!”

“H-Hey, Sonoko!”

“Woah!” Lisa gasped out of amazement. “It’s not even real, but it’s so cute! Is he supposed to be a mankei neko?”

Sonoko nodded and smiled widely. “Yup! A rainbow one!”

Miharu sighed, “Have you even noticed the person next to Lisa?” 

“Huh? Who—“ Sonoko’s eyes landed on Nagisa’s face, and it felt… strange. “Ohhhh! Hey, random person! Are you a boy?”

“What?” Miharu cringed. “Why would you assume that they’re a boy? It’s obviously a girl.”

“Really? I can’t see it…”

Nagisa just continued to stay silent.

“Uhh,” Lisa replied, “I actually don’t even know, but their name is Nagisa! We’ve been friends for ages!”

As soon as Lisa said their name, Sonoko’s eyebrows furrowed. 

“Oh, I recognize that name,” Miharu recalled. “You talk about Nagisa a lot.”

“Right, right, everyone knows who they are,” Sonoko chuckled. “So, are you a girl, or a boy?”

“Stop being so rude.”

“I’m not being rude! I’m asking a question!” Sonoko paused and remarked, “And hey, why isn’t Nagisa saying anything?”

“They aren’t much of a talker,” Lisa responded.

“So they flap their arms instead?”

“Exactly! Wait…” Lisa turned around to face Nagisa. “What are you doing?”

No response.

Nagisa halted, and began playing with their sleeves once again. They looked so nervous, but why? 

“A-Anyway,” Lisa began, “Do you guys wanna go to the manga museum next Sunday?”

“Ooh, what’s that?” Sonoko beamed, “Sounds fun! Can you buy all the stuff you want? Oh my god, is everything free for the taking?!”

“Well, no, but it’s gonna be awesome! The two of us thought that maybe you guys can come along!”

“Oh, cool…” 

_Me with Nagisa? Him? Of all people?_

“I might be busy with family stuff, but maybe I can ask my mom. I hope she says yes,” Miharu replied, softly grinning.

“Yay!” Lisa piped, “I can’t wait! This is gonna be awesome!”

“Y’know, you say that a whole lot,” Sonoko teased.

“Yeah, but it’s the truth! After this, the four of us are gonna be the bestest friends forever and ever! Then, we can go to college together, get hot boyfriends, become doctors, and hang out as old ladies!”

“That’s an interesting vision,” Miharu commented.

“I know, right? It’s gonna be awesome! Right, Nagisa?”

This time, she got a response.

Nagisa mumbled, “It’s loud.” 

“O-Oh, I’m sorry! We shouldn’t have come out here! Uh…”

Sonoko tilted her head out of confusion. “Huh? What’s the matter?” 

“Is Nagisa okay?” asked Miharu.

“U-Uh, yeah, they’re fine! Nothing’s happening! See you guys later!” Lisa grabbed Nagisa’s wrist and slowly walked away from the other two girls. Nagisa closed their eyes shut, and attempted to take deep breaths in order to relax. 

The sound of birds singing their beautiful songs. 

The sound of multiple feet walking and running upon the grass and cement. 

The sounds of countless children laughing, screaming and shouting.

The sounds were ringing in Nagisa’s ears. 

Relaxing was impossible.

“Nagi, are you alright?”

As soon as Lisa spoke, it was as if their surroundings suddenly disappeared. The sounds dissipated, and they finally felt at peace, even if it only were for a moment.

“I’m okay,” they responded. “I’m okay.”

“Thank god! I thought something happened to you!” Lisa tightly hugged them, and backed away after a few seconds. “C’mon bestie, what do you wanna do next? Wanna come to my house? We can play on my piano!” 

“Hmm…”

“Ooh, ooh, maybe we can, like, have this huge dinner! How does udon sound? Isn’t that good?”

“...Yes.” Nagisa softly smiled back.

“Awesome! Let’s get our stuff, then!”

“Mhm.”

Things were going perfectly, and there’s no way that their friendship could’ve been ruined. They were the dynamic duo, and nothing could ever separate them.

Moving to Tokyo was their biggest dream, and someday, it would come true.

*****

Four years ago, back in Ishinomaki, Japan, lived Nagisa Yuuki and Lisa Nakahara. Together, they dwelled in the Ishinomaki Kyoku Elementary School, and became best friends. They were sure that nothing could ever take them apart, and along with Sonoko and Miharu, their group of friends would only continue to grow. The memory was distant, and by now, Lisa had already forgotten how they met, but their numerous experiences were still remembered. 

It was a rather small school, so anyone would think it’d be easy to meet other people. And so, with time, despite the multitude of rumors being passed around, Nagisa found it easier to talk to people, thanks to Lisa. And thanks to her, they were able to make six new friends. That was something to be proud of. Without Lisa, they’d be lonely. Without Lisa, they wouldn’t have been able to speak. Without Lisa, they couldn’t have opened up the way they did with Sonoko and Miharu. 

Even though Nagisa was a grade above her, it was fairly easy for the both of them to meet up everyday. After all, they’d always hang out together with Sonoko, Miharu, and an additional friend, Kagami. They’d always talk during lunch, recess, and cleaning. 

And so, one day, Lisa came up to Nagisa in the classroom for a not-so-serious matter. The other girls were sitting there as well, working ahead on their homework as Sonoko continued to play with Miharu’s plush doll. 

“Hey, guys! Guess what? I just got a new piano!”

Kagami was confused by Lisa’s statement. “Why? What happened to your old one?”

“My little brother broke it… I swear, he’s gonna get what he deserves!”

“You probably shouldn’t fight fire with fire,” Miharu advised. “Who knows, he might burn the house down next.”

“Exactly!” Sonoko joshed, “You never know! Then, after that, he’ll blow up the earth! Like, boom!”

“There’s no way that could happen…” Lisa gasped, “But wait, what if it could?! Oh no, I gotta say sorry to him!”

Kagami questioned, “What for? You haven’t even done anything yet.”

“Well, I might’ve yelled at him a little, and he’s probably really mad at me for that.” 

“Oh, then yeah, apologize before it’s too late. We don’t want anything destroying the world anytime soon.” 

“I know, right? I still have so much to do. We haven’t even been to Tokyo yet.”

“‘We?’”

“Oh, Nagisa and I really wanna go to Tokyo. Isn’t that right?” Lisa winked towards Nagisa, only to receive no response. They were too busy staring at their notebook.

“Y’know, there’s no point in asking,” Sonoko said as she shrugged.

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing, nothing!” She nervously laughed and exclaimed, “But can you make a song for me?”

“A song? What kind of song?”

“A song with magic! Make it magical!”

“How am I gonna do that?”

“Heh, just believe in yourself!”

“...I don’t get it, but okay! That’s what I’m gonna do!”

“Sonoko, you never make any sense,” Miharu sighed. “That’s why people have a hard time understanding you.”

“For real? I don’t make sense?” Sonoko whined, “That’s mean~!” 

“It’s the truth.”

“W-Well, anyway…” Kagami muttered, “I don’t think y’all would wanna hear this, but…”

“Huh, what’s up?”

“It’s gonna ruin the mood, but I heard that a student got taken to the hospital this morning.”

Then, there was silence.

“...What?” Lisa faked a laugh, “That’s weird… that never happens.”

“Well, it happened today. Apparently, the kid was really beat up or something, and they had to be taken to the hospital. I don’t know what happened, though.”

Sonoko blurted with no hesitation, “Well, it’s obvious that someone must’ve hurt them! Maybe someone tried to kill them!”

“S-Sonoko…!” Miharu stammered, “W-Why are you saying that so calmly? This is serious!”

“Well, I figured that y’all would be in denial, so I had to say something! And isn’t it the truth?” 

“How do you know, though?”

“Simple! People are talking about other kids around here being violent, right?”

Lisa’s eyes widened. “Wait… what are you hinting towards? Lemme guess, you’re gonna say that Ito hurt that kid, right?” 

Sonoko giggled, “This isn’t about Ito, Rentaro.”

“Hey, can you stop calling me that? Like, please?”

“Hmm, nah. It’s not like Lisa’s your real name, anyway.”

“Sonoko, calm down,” Miharu urged. “Why are you being so weird today?”

“You’re the weird one! Heeheee, you’re probably mad that I stole Yakitori again, aren’t you?” 

“No…”

“Anyway, who do you guys think it was?” asked Kagami.

“Well, uh, I dunno!” Lisa mumbled, “I mean, alotta people are super nice here, right? I don’t think anyone would do that. It’s bad.”

“I feel like it was Haru. He doesn’t care about anyone, and he’s stupid.”

“You’re the only one who hates him, though,” Miharu recalled, “You told me before. And everyone else likes him.”

“Yeah, so? He still sucks.”

“C’mon guys, don’t we know already~? This is easy-peasy,” Sonoko spoke in a sing-songy voice. 

“Who is it?” Lisa shouted, “Oh my god, don’t tell me… is it Daichi?! I trusted him with my pencil last week!”

“No, no. It’s nobody like that!” Sonoko gave everyone a quick glare, contradicting her usual cheerful mood. “Who does everyone hate the most?”

“Well, Kagami,” Miharu replied, “But why?”

“Wow, you’re so nice,” Kagami sarcastically commented.

“Well, that’s what I was gonna ask,” Sonoko continued. “Nobody has a reason. They just hate Kagami for no reason. Nobody knows why.”

Kagami growled, “Hey, what are you saying here?”

“I’m saying that the person who could’ve done it has to be hated for a reason. I mean, they’d eventually just wanna live up to their rumor and end up hurting someone, right? It makes sense!”

“Not everyone is like that, though,” Lisa mumbled. “At least, I learned that. And I don’t think anyone here would hurt a random kid! That’s, uh, illegal! You’d get expelled anyway, and nobody wants that.”

“Hm? Lisa, I thought you hated this school,” Miharu wondered. 

“I used to, but it actually isn’t that bad. It’s not like I’m gonna die or anything. But still! Nagisa thinks so too! Right?” Lisa turned around in her seat to face Nagisa.

No response.

“Lisa…” Sonoko snapped, “Can you just stop talking to Nagisa for a second?! They aren’t gonna say anything!” 

“Huh?” Lisa’s face went blank, and she looked downwards, trying to process what just happened.

Yeah, what just happened? Why was Sonoko still smiling?

“Hey, what’s up with you?” Kagami questioned, “Did someone take a crap in your cereal?”

“Chill out,” Mahiru ordered. “Sonoko, are you okay?”

“Oh,” Sonoko giggled, “Yeah, of course I am! I’m just asking her politely. Mom taught me about good manners.”

“Really…?” Mahiru couldn’t tell if Sonoko was being sarcastic or not, and honestly, she had to admit that she was scared.

“So, anyway, speaking of Nagisa… people hate him because he’s scary, so it’d make sense that Nagi would wanna be scary! And if you wanna be scary, you just gotta hurt someone!”

Kagami muttered, “Oh, yeah? And why are you attacking them now?” 

“Because I want to. It’s not like he cares, anyway.”

Lisa angrily blurted, “They wouldn’t do any of that! There’s no way! And Nagisa is not a boy!” Her eyebrows furrowed as she glared at Sonoko.

“Oh, okay, but who else is a boy?” Sonoko chuckled, “Right, that’s you, Rentaro. By the way, you’re not a girl. Stop acting like one.” 

Lisa began to sweat and nervously stammered, “H-Huh? What do you mean? I’m a girl! And my name is Lisa! What are you talking about?!”

“Mom told me that people like you are disgusting. I bet she thinks that you should’ve been the kid who was hurt today.”

Mahiru scolded, “Sonoko…!”

“Shut up!” Kagami got up from her seat and stood in front of Lisa’s desk. “Stop talking to her like that! You meanie!”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right!” Lisa sneered, “I’m gonna tell on you!”

“Oh, okay then. I don’t wanna get in trouble…” Sonoko paused, “But seriously, seeing a boy wearing a dress is kinda weird, don’t you think?”

“I’m not…” Lisa lost all the spite in her words and eventually gave up.

“Anyway, for real, I feel like Nagisa would kill someone. He probably went up to some random kid and hurt them this morning. After that, he’s probably gonna wanna kill himself, too. I’m just guessing, though.”

“You creep!” Kagami bellowed, “Where are you getting all this stuff from? I hate you! I thought you were my friend!”

“What do you mean? We’re still friends!” Sonoko widely grinned. “I just hate Nagisa, that’s all. That’s not illegal, right?”

“No.” Miharu spat, “If one of us gets hurt, then it’s over. You hurt Lisa and Nagi. You have problems.”

Sonoko scratched her head. “Wait, since when was Nagi one of us? How could he possibly be a human being? He’s literally a robot.” 

“No.” Nagisa finally lifted their head and closed up their notebook. “I heard.” 

Sonoko questioned, “What? You heard?” She chuckled, “Whoops, sorry~. I didn’t think you’d hear all that.”

At that moment, Nagisa just felt like yelling all the words they knew in English. Not out of confusion, but out of anger. 

“Evil. Walking strawberry. Mean. Stupid. Bad Lisa. Gross.”

Sonoko’s eyes widened. “Huh? What?” This was unexpected. “U-Uh, see? That’s why people hate Nagisa!”

“I heard these words before in a movie. I mean them. You’re evil.” 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Kagami jabbed, “Can’t wait for you to get expelled.”

Sonoko whined, “Aww, I can’t say my opinion anymore? That’s sad.” 

“I don’t wanna talk to you anymore,” Mahiru grumbled. “Go away, please.”

“Aww man, that sucks. I had a whole lot more to talk about, too.” Sonoko left her seat and walked towards the entrance of the classroom. She glared at Lisa and waved as she spoke, “Bye, trannie!”

Lisa only sank in her seat even more, as tears began to form in her eyes. Kagami, Mahiru and Nagisa attempted to comfort her, and were left alone before a teacher finally came along.

Despite all of this, moving to Tokyo was still their biggest dream, and someday, it would come true, even without Sonoko.

*****

Three years ago, on March 11th, both an earthquake and tsunami struck not only Ishinomaki, but the majority of Japan. Luckily, Nagisa Yuuki and Lisa Nakahara were able to survive, but Sonoko, Mahiru and Kagami had lost their lives. Together, they used to dwell in the Ishinomaki Kyoku Elementary School, which has now collapsed. However, Lisa and Nagisa’s friendship stayed intact. The memory was distant, and by now, Lisa had already forgotten how they met, but their numerous struggles, hardships and tragedies were still remembered.

Since Nagisa’s family enjoyed traveling around the world, the majority of their family members were settling in Missouri, and due to their closeness with Lisa, both of their families ended up moving to Springfield. They might not have ended up in the same neighborhood, but it was good enough. Moving there was the only way they could both escape from the horror they experienced. 

Even though Nagisa was a grade above Lisa, at their new school, it was fairly easy for the both of them to meet up everyday. But as time passed, they stopped hanging out with each other as often as they used to. Slowly but surely, they eventually drifted apart and went their separate ways. Lisa would get a boyfriend to help her cope with her past trauma, and Nagisa would become a diver and hopefully have real friends to call their own. 

Moving to Tokyo was nothing but a distant dream, but someday, it would come true.


	9. A Piercing Will

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Min-Jun talks to Hyun-a.

The room was in complete darkness, being lit by only the computer screen. Min-Jun was wearing a jet black cape, along with some dark-toned attire. 

Some sort of cosplay, maybe? 

He was sitting at his desk, playing a fantasy RPG, and live streamed his gameplay. He figured that if anyone had found out, the students at school would think he was weird for doing this literally every single night, but as long as he could keep this from them, everything would be fine. But he already failed at that a long time ago. 

That’s why he climbs trees.

He hides in trees.

Of all places, trees.

Smart.

And It's not like his dad could know that he'd wear that same stupid cape every night, or else he would cringe. _ _ Would he think that he was summoning demons? 

Meh, probably. 

He  _ did  _ believe in magic, after all. But that’s not weird, right? It wasn’t something Min-Jun was too deep into, anyway. It was just a thing he delved into when playing with his online friends on his computer.

The live stream was going well, and was midway through, but—

"Hey, I’m here!” Hyun-a hollered, “Can you turn on the TV for Hana and Chin-wa real quick? Dad is gonna pick them up from daycare in a few!”

Min-Jun sighed and spoke through his mic, "Sorry guys, gotta go. But I swear, I’m gonna help—“

"What're you doing?" Hyun-a abruptly opened the door, suddenly alarming Min-Jun.

"H-Hey, I told you to knock! Give me a sec!" He forced the door to close on Hyun-a, and groaned. He took off his cape, and immediately shut off his computer. Once he put away his headphones, he walked towards the door and made his way to the kitchen, then the living room, to speak with Hyun-a and turn on the TV.

"Thanks.” She smiled and patted him on the back.

“Why did you even need help with that?”

“I needed to put my stuff away. Anyway, what were you doing in your room?" She placed her backpack on the ground, next to the kitchen table.

"N-Nothing, I was just playing some video games. I told you to knock. You freaked me out." Min-Jun sat down at the couch and grabbed the remote, flipping through random TV channels.

"Oh, sorry, I just didn't hear anything. But really, why’ve you been getting home so late? Dad is gonna be mad, y’know.”

"Well, what about you? You have nothing to do.”

"It isn't a huge deal, I'm just talking to my friends and stuff, that's all."

"For an hour after school’s done? You aren't even in a club."

"That's true. But we have a lot to talk about. And speaking of clubs…” Hyun-a chuckled, “Aren’t you a part of one?"

This sentence alone caused Min-Jun to freeze. As soon as he looked to his left, there he saw Hyun-a, sitting next to him. 

_ Oh no. Someone must've told her.  _

This was the last thing he wanted; Someone telling his older cousin that he was a part of a club. 

Why? 

Because she always followed the family rules, no matter how extreme they were. Number one on the list was excelling in school, and it only got stricter from there.

She didn’t even seem angry, but it was still scary.

Min-Jun stammered, "W-Wait, how did you know? Let me guess, Rudy told you, didn't he? Uh…” He averted his eyes. “It’s not like I'm slacking off or anything, that’s dumb. Uh, you want proof—?”

"I believe you, but your dad isn’t gonna think that. He told you to focus on schoolwork.”

"Y-Yeah, I know already! I've heard it a million times! But does that mean I can't do what I wanna do anymore? That’s dumb.” Min-Jun raised his voice, attempting to hide all signs of anxiety. "Ever since we've moved here, it's been that way."

"Calm down. And none of us are allowed to just do whatever we want. Besides, your dad thinks after school activities are worthless if they don't help you with schoolwork and all that… He also said that they're distractions, and only make things worse."

"What, so just because he said that, you believe it? Jesus, you're not my mom…”

"I'm only letting you know. And I understand where he’s coming from, but I don’t believe everything he says. I used to.”

“So it’s wrong that you even believed him in the first place! Don’t we all hate him?!”

“So you're just fine with being a rule-breaker now?"

"You know that's not it at all! I don't wanna get in trouble, I just think you're being bossy! You started bossing me around a few weeks ago, so why? Are you salty about something?”

"I'm only trying to make sure everything is fine. You know how it is when Dad gets angry. You're gonna get grounded, and you live stream a lot on your computer, right? So, I think you—“

"You're gonna tell me to drop out of the club I'm in, aren't you? Well I'm not."

“I wasn’t even gonna say that.”

“I bet you were!”

“I’m just stating my opinion here.”

At this point, Min-Jun can't even tell if Hyun-a's mad at him, or just confused, but either way, it's still scaring him. He shouldn't be surprised though, since she easily gets skeptical of what he does. This was why he didn't wanna be involved with this club in the first place.

Hyun-a questioned, "I thought you didn't even like clubs… I guess you really are just doing this to avoid studying.”

She did have a point. He's never wanted to participate in school activities or clubs, since he thought they were boring, but he didn't agree with her previous statement whatsoever. Sure, he might look like the type of person to neglect school work, but he isn't like that. Well, it's more like  _ he can't,  _ due to his family's strictness.

"No,” He rebuked. "That's not why I'm a part of the club. I don't get why everyone thinks negative stuff about me. I never thought you'd get so mad at me for no reason. Hell, everyone gets mad at me for no reason. Y'know, Rudy's sister told me when we were younger, that nobody should have a grudge against someone for no reason, unless they're an idiot." Realizing what he just said, he gasped. Maybe he went a bit too far.

“Look, I’'m not even angry. I’m done with holding grudges. It's your fault for thinking that all the time."

"I don't think about—“

"Min. All I'm asking is if this is what you want." Her tone sounded a bit more relaxed, which eased Min-Jun by a little. "Are you sure you're not being forced into things you don't wanna do by these people? I mean, kids like that exist, y’know.”

"Of course. They're annoying sometimes, but they aren't bad people. Weren't you the one having that problem before?"

"What do you mean?" She obviously knew what he meant.

"You were being forced into some drama, right? I was upset that you didn't tell me before, but I found out sooner or later. I had to pretend like I didn't know, or else you would've gotten upset at me.” He rolled his eyes. “Again."

Hyun-a sighed in response, and felt a wave of guilt come upon her. Maybe she really was being too controlling or harsh. Maybe she needed to be a bit more understanding. If it were for the sake of her cousin, then she'd do her best.

"Alright, I get it. I'll try not to say anything about your friends like that. I'm sorry." She bore a soft smile, and patted Min-Jun on the back. "You've been with these people longer than I have. I don't even know who they are." She blatantly added, "But can you leave by next month?"

"W-Wait, how come? Why do I have to leave?"

"Your friends might be fine… but what about everyone else in this school? Clubs recruit people, and sooner or later, other students who'll end up joining your club will make everything a disaster. Your club is just gonna bring them together." She knew that not every club was like that, but she figured that Min-Jun’s was quite small, so it would make sense for a small club to turn out that way, especially if they’re looking for new members. 

But is that what she meant to say?

"So clubs are bad now? Great, what else can I not do then?" 

"Chill. Remember what I said? I don't want you getting in trouble, and that's it. I really care about you, and I don't want you to be lectured by your dad."

"If you cared about me, then you'd stop talking about him for one second and consider how I feel. And you're even talking about Dad like he’s not your uncle. I can’t believe you…” He pouted, and crossed his arms. He got off the couch, but before he could reach his room, Hyun-a walked up to him and gently grabbed his wrist. Min-Jun hesitantly looked back, and saw a frown on her face.

"I'm gonna do my best, alright? And you have to as well." She softly giggled, leaving Min-Jun slightly confused.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, you’ll promise to do your stuff around the house, right? I can't do everything on my own, y'know. It gets lonely…”

"Of course I will. I'm not some rebellious teenager.” He chuckled, “I can do cool stuff and still be responsible, you weirdo.” He added, "Hey, you're gonna try to understand this club thing a bit more, right? If that's the case, then you should just join one yourself to get it, I dunno. I mean, I-I don't really care."

"I'm sorry, I'm not gonna join a club. I already have so much stuff to do after school anyway.”

Min-Jun felt the urge to question, "You said earlier that you're just speaking with some friends. Y'know, you guys could start up a club or something." He paused, "Then you might understand what's so interesting about—“

"Min, I already told you. The last time I was a part of one, some bad things happened. Even if things are fixed, history is gonna repeat itself, no matter what it is. Kaitlyn’s probably gonna get mad at me for something again, but at least I’ll be ready for that…”

Min-Jun didn't like where this was going already. He assumed that everything from that point on would be fine, but maybe he was wrong.

"That makes no sense.” He jabbed, “ _ You  _ make no sense. Why can't you take my advice for once?"

"I thought you said that you didn't care."

"W-What? No I didn't."

"Yeah, a few seconds ago."

"Y-You know that's not what I meant."

Hyun-a had a feeling that this would go on for too long. They were both tired, they didn't want to argue, and they already tried to forgive each other. 

It just wasn't working, so she proclaimed, "Anyway, let's just talk about this another time. I'm tired, and the others are coming home soon. I've changed my mind, so that none of this is confusing... Just leave the club by next month, and trust me on this."

"Whatever, I don't even care anymore." Before he stormed into his room, he added, "Oh, and this time, I mean it. I'm gonna play some games or whatever. You interrupted my stream earlier." 

He shut the door, and entered his room, engulfed in darkness. The beautiful, yet bright sunset reflected onto the windows, blinding Hyun-a, as she made her way back into the kitchen.

_ Ugh, why am I so bad at stuff like this? And I don’t understand why this kind of thing is so important to him now. He’s never been interested in clubs before… but the rules still exist. What am I supposed to do…? _

*****

Min-Jun laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He took out his phone from his pocket, and turned it on, after deciding to just browse the internet. A few seconds later, he couldn't find anything to do, so he tossed his phone onto the bed out of frustration.

He thought to himself,  _ She was right in a few ways… The only people I really know in this club are Rudy and Ruby, but things have been going fine… and what’s the problem with stuff like this? I don’t get it. _

No matter what, it's always been difficult for Min-Jun to understand other people, whether it was someone he looked up to, liked or hated. It's hard for him to give up the habit of going to his room everyday and playing games, especially when he doesn't have anyone to talk to after school. Whatever they liked, he just didn't get it. Sure, visiting the club everyday changed his schedule by a little, but there wasn't a huge difference. Whenever he feels like someone is angry at him or telling him off, he gets anxious and hurls whatever he's thinking at them, and it's been happening ever since 3rd grade. It's not like they're attacking him for his hobbies or anything, but in his mind, they are.

And it’s not like anyone understands him either. There’s only one person who does, and that person is Ahnjong.

Now that he's finally found a place he feels welcome at, what is he gonna tell Hyun-a, let alone his family? He's starting to warm up to the people he met just, but he can't say the same for his family. 

But as Rudy said to him years ago, 'That's just how things are.'

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of doors swinging open, and a couple children shouting and running about. It's obvious that all the noise was being caused by his younger siblings (and cousin),but this time, instead of greeting them, he decided to stay in his room. He could hear multiple voices speaking at once, which were getting hard to distinguish.

"Stop running around,” his father ordered.

"Yay, we’re here! Yay, yay!”

"Where’s Mom?"

"Hey, what's playing on the TV? Can I see, can I see?"

He could hear their numerous footsteps, which were most likely making their way to the living room. Whenever they'd get home, Chin-wa and Hana would always watch some TV with Hyun-a, while Aera would hang out with Min-Jun (most of the time without him asking). 

And speaking of Aera, she was a bit... quiet. The only person she really speaks to is Min-Jun. Despite the decision to stay by himself, Min-Jun, hearing Aera's footsteps approach his door, let her come in and didn't say anything.

"Hey bro,” she asked, “What’s up? How’s it going?"

She noticed that he was lying on his bed, thinking about who-knows-what. She gave him a tap on the shoulder, to receive no verbal response. He turned his head the other way, and smiled, which gave Aera the indicator that he was just playing around.

Aera whined, "C'mon, look at me already."

"Nah. I'm too busy."

"You aren't even doing anything!" She giggled, jumping onto the bed, and laid down alongside him. "Hey, did someone mention that your shirt was stained?"

"M-My shirt isn't stained. It was like that when Mom bought it."

"Stop defending your shirt. It's stained, I'm gonna tell Dad to clean it."

"What does that even mean? And it doesn't need cleaning!"

“You keep covering it up with that cape of yours. I can’t believe you’ve never let me wear it.”

“That’s because you’d ruin it in five minutes.”

“Nah, that’s Chin-wa’s job.” They both laughed together for a moment, and Aera looked at him a bit more seriously afterwards. “Dude, but for real... are you good? Everyone's watching some cartoons in the living room." She added, "Plus, you've been a lot more moody than usual. Like, really moody."

"Yeah, I'm fine,” He replied. "I just had a small argument with Hyun-a earlier, but everything's fine, I guess."

"Nah, I can tell that you aren't 'fine.'" She dramatically gasped, "Jeez, I can’t believe my cousin—the best cousin in the world—is lying to me! This is the worst day ever!”

"Whatever... you win. I'll tell you what happened,” He groaned, rolling his eyes. "Don't overreact though, 'kay?"

"You know I don't overreact. I'm not that Lisa girl."

"Alright then." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, it was over something stupid, but Hyun-a just keeps bossing me around. I feel like she's constantly mad at me, and it's the same for Dad. I don't know what to do at all. She also told me to leave the club I'm in by the end of the month. But what else am I supposed to do?”

"Hmm, but why did you join the club, again?"

"Ugh, I joined against my will. It's all Rudy's fault."

Aera raised her eyebrow, "Okaaaaay, but what's come out of it? Other than having something to do after school."

"N-Nothing. It's not like I really care about what happens.”

"Then why did you have this argument with Hyun-a? C'mon, just tell me. We tell each other everything."

"Fine. I've made some friends, and that's all."

"That's epic. So, do you regret it?" At this point, Aera accepted that she'd only be given short answers, but at least it was something.

He replied, "I-I guess not. Why are you asking this anyway?"

"I'm guessing you didn't say any of that to Hyun-a. I'm guessing you didn't tell her that you've made friends through this club. So, like, you don't wanna leave, right? So what're you gonna do?"

"Well, I'm gonna prove to her that clubs aren't useless, obviously.” He shrugged and sarcastically added, “But of course, that's bound to be a bad thing, so I'm all ears." 

"U-huh, but how are you gonna do it? I mean, you should probably show her what y’all do on a daily basis.”

"That's what I was gonna do. But I doubt she'll be interested. She's still angry at me. So whatever, what's the point?"

Aera furrowed her eyebrows and complained, "I can't believe you! First of all, you two have been close to each other for AGES! And I barely even know her, even though she’s my sister! But I DO know that she cares about you! I bet it wasn't even an argument! Hmph… Maybe it just turned into one because of you."

This was the true Aera. Not the quiet, shy, and soft-spoken Aera you'd see in 6th grade everyday. _Definitely not._ She's never afraid to speak her mind at home, which is either due to her being comfortable around them, or that Min-Jun rubbed off of her. Min-Jun didn't mind, though. Maybe this is what he needed. But he continued to deny it.

"You don't understand." He sat up and pointed at the door, "Hey, you said that the others were watching some cartoons. Y'all have a time limit, so why don't you go? Just leave me alone."

"But I wanna be with you!" She shouted. "Look, all you have to do is prove that being in this club of yours is really worth it. And I bet she isn't angry at you, she's just curious... and is, like, really bad at conveying that.” She groaned, “Okay, I don't even know how to explain this anymore, so I'm just gonna go." She quickly hopped off the bed like Min-Jun told her to, and looked back before opening the door. "I'll tell Hana to not eat the pizza you put in the freezer. We can put it in the oven and share it tonight." She softly giggled, and left his room, closing the door gently. Min-Jun sighed, and fell back onto his bed again.

_ Meh, I guess she's right. Man, how can she be smarter than me? There really is something wrong with me... _

He tossed and turned in his bed, attempting to get comfortable. He paused for a moment and stared at his desk, which had both his computer and headset on top. He debated whether he should play games or not, but a few seconds later, he got up from the bed and sat on his chair.

After waiting for the computer to turn on, he placed his hands on the keyboard and surfed the internet. He was entirely unaware of the time that was passing, but his use of the computer only amounted to around thirty minutes, which felt like an hour. He was still bored afterwards, and once he took off his headset, he figured that the TV was still on, since he could hear it from his room. He then decided to go out into the living room and spend some time with Aera to make up for what he said and how he acted.

Reaching for the door, he opened it and noticed that Aera was sitting by herself on the couch. The other kids had already gone to their dad's room, and Hyun-a was in her's. He walked up to the couch to greet Aera, and attempted to grab her attention.

"Hey, sorry about earlier. Thanks for helping."

She replied, "Oh, hey. It's fine, I'm just chilling here."

"I can see that." He looked towards the kitchen. "Want some pizza?"

"What's this all of a sudden? Now you're being super nice. What a weirdo."

"I-I'm just trying to make up for before. You're the weirdo." He looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact with her. "A-Anyways, I just wanna spend time with you, since you helped me think a few things over... just by a little, and that's all. Don't think it's a huge deal or anything."

"Alright, alright, I get it. Thanks dude. Let's just hurry up before the others come out and try to eat the pizza."

"Why would they? Isn't it frozen...?"

"Dude, they'd eat anything, even if it were frozen. I thought you knew that. They’re like walking vacuums.”

"Meh, Dad would probably just ground them if they did anyway, so I don't care." He chuckled along with Aera, and noticed her getting off the couch.

"C'mon, I'm starving. Let's just put it in already!” She ran over to the kitchen (which wasn't allowed in their house) and opened the freezer, hastily searching for the pizza box. In contrast, Min-Jun slowly walked to the kitchen, opened the drawer to grab an oven mitten, and pre-heated the oven.

_ If I could meet more people like Aera at school, then that'd be great,  _ he wondered.  _ I hope Hyun-a understands that... No, she will. She better. _

“Ugh, this is all Rudy’s fault.”

Aera blinked and tilted her head. “Huh? Did you say something?”

“Nothing, nothing. It’s not important.”


	10. Memories of the Starry Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking Min-Jun’s advice, Hyun-a ends up coming across a cynical kid who desires to revive the Astronomy Club.

More than anything, Hyun-a felt terrible for saying all those things to Min-Jun. She was aware that she couldn’t get the message she wanted to convey across, and now, her own cousin was probably going to be mad at her for the longest time. Forget holding grudges; Min-Jun was holding one against her. 

She figured that it would also be due to the shock factor. He’s looked up to her and depended on her for many years, and now she’s changed in unexpected and jarring ways. And since she had made a huge mistake, she might as well not even try to fix it. At this point, it was impossible. This time, it wouldn’t be as easy as it was with Kaitlyn.

School was dismissed, and Hyun-a was heading towards her locker to get some of her stuff and meet up with her friends. Unlocking it, she grabbed her math, science, and history books, and placed them into her backpack. She closed up her locker, and walked among the crowd of students who were bumping into each other, attempting to either go outside or attend their club activities. 

Her friends were always hanging around in the study hall classroom after school, and she knew that they’d always be there. She had already told Rudy that they wouldn’t be meeting up for about a week beforehand. She wanted to refrain him from worrying about her situation, since she was easy to read.

Making her way to the classroom, she bumped into a few people on the way, but fastened her backpack and paid no mind to them.

_No, I need to stop thinking about that. Derick mentioned something about having a few tests yesterday. That’s why I’m over here… yeah, I’m gonna ask how he did._ _Plus, Leonida needed some help with her writing for the poetry club. ...Of course, a club. Nobody mentioned anything like that. Is that where she is? And come to think of it, Rudy never told me either._

Eventually, she gave in. 

_ Damn it, I should probably just take my own cousin’s advice, right? But... I just wanna talk to my friends first.  _

Opening the door, it was revealed to her that nobody was there. Her friends were nowhere to be seen, and the only person there was a teacher. From the looks of it, she was grading some student’s homework, which Hyun-a didn’t want to interrupt. 

Despite this, she walked up to the teacher and asked,  “Sorry for interrupting Mrs. Yang, but do you know where Derick, Leonida, Zarita and Cecil are? They usually hang around here…”

“Oh, those four kids?” Mrs. Yang informed, “I know who they are, but I don’t know  _ where _ they are. Maybe they left early, dear.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks Mrs. Yang, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You’re welcome, but I have something I need to discuss with you.”

“Oh, sorry, yes mam? Does it have to do with my grades?”

“No, that isn’t it. It’s about this kid named Colston. Do you recognize his name?”

“...Colston? Who’s that? What does he look like?”

“Colston Relish. He’s around your height. You should know him. He has black hair and silver eyes.”

Hyun-a cringed and thought,  _ ‘Relish?’ That’s a strange last name… Wait, that’s not the point.  _

“Well, the point is,” The teacher continued, “A student called Nita came to me about him, and apparently he isn’t having too much luck with making any friends. He’s been by himself for the longest time.”

Hyun-a scratched her head. “He isn’t in my class, though. Why me?”

“You’re a smart student, and I feel like you two would get along. Do you think you can talk to him today?”

Hyun-a firmly nodded in understanding. “Yes mam. Where is he?”

“He should be in the Astronomy Club. Apparently, he vists very often. It’s right next door.”

“I’ll head there right now. See you tomorrow, Mrs. Yang.”

“Thank you Hyun-a, I’ll see you in the morning.” Hyun-a exited the classroom and closed the door behind her. Mrs. Yang was her favorite teacher, so it would make sense why she would care about her students so much.

All the other teachers just sucked, and that was a fact.

_ Colston, huh? I’ve never heard that name before. And… I’ve never seen any student that looks like that, either. Hmm… I hope he isn’t the annoying type. If he is, then I’m out. _

Hyun-a stopped herself before twisting the clubroom’s doorknob and stroked her chin.

_ Wait, no. Isn’t this my chance to redeem myself? Yeah, it definitely is. Man, this is how much of a bad person I am… I don’t even care if interacting with some lost cause of a kid makes me popular. I should just help.  _

Glaring at the door labels, she opened the door that was leading to the Astronomy Club. Entering the room, at first glance, nobody appeared to be there. It was an aggravating case of deja vu. 

_ Again?  _

She walked into the empty classroom, and finally noticed that a kid was sitting at the desk all by himself. Matching Mrs. Yang’s description perfectly, he had messy black hair, sleepy-looking silver eyes, and was slightly taller than Hyun-a. Unlike the majority of the other students (who wore blue shirts), he was wearing a white polo shirt, and overall looked quite… normal. He didn’t have any distinguishing features, which was probably why Hyun-a didn’t know about him until now. 

He was sorting some papers that were on the desk, which looked like one of the club flyers Hyun-a saw the other day. 

Colston frustratingly mumbled, “These look shitty. I’m terrible with design... where’s the help when I need it?” He crumbled up the papers and threw them towards the trash can, but missed. “Crap. I should pick that up.” He got up from his seat, and bent down to pick up the crumbled pieces of paper, to only then notice that Hyun-a was there. “Oh, someone’s actually here. I never thought my crappy idea would work.”

This wasn’t what Hyun-a expected at all. He looked miserable.

“Hi, I’m Hyun-a. You’re Colston, right?” She smiled at Colston, attempting to give off a good first impression. 

“Wow, y’know my name? That’s hella rare, you must be the chosen one,” He sarcastically replied. “Anyway, nice to meet ya, or somethin’.” He dropped the paper into the trash can, and walked up towards Hyun-a, explaining, “Uh, as you could tell, I was in the middle of throwin’ away my terrible flyers, which apparently led you here…” He let out a sigh of disappointment. “But, I doubt that’s why yer here.”

“Yeah, I’m not here for your club, I’m sorry.”

“Meh, it’s all good. I’m used to this, anyway. But what brings ya here?”

“Well, Mrs. Yang was worried about you, and wanted me to talk with you, and make sure that everything was alright.”

Colston groaned, “Hah, of course. Not even my own homeroom teacher wants to talk to me. Y’know, screw it, all the teachers in this school are pretty lazy. It’s common knowledge, man.” He looked over to the table. “But if you consider being alone in this stupid club for the past few weeks as an ‘okay’ kinda status, then I’m perfectly fine. So go ahead, you can leave now.”

“Wait, I’m not leaving yet. Where  _ is _ everyone, exactly? You obviously can’t start a club on your own.”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m the most boring person around. I bet that’s why nobody even knows who I am. And I highly doubt anyone would pay attention to a stupid club like mine. It’s astronomy.”

Hyun-a was already getting tired of his negativity. “I don’t get it. I mean, you don’t look too interesting, but aren’t plenty of kids into astronomy? And, wait, how old are you?”

“Thirteen. And by the way, if you really think that kids my age are into astronomy, you’re right. But they’ve already given up on joining a club now. Besides, it’s already April, and I started this gig last month. You get it now?”

“Kind of. Well, I can help you hand out those flyers, unless you’ve already thrown them all away.”

Colston exasperated, “Don’t even bother, it’s fine. There ain’t even a point anymore.” He pulled out a chair for Hyun-a to sit on and took a seat. She followed his lead, and folded her hands onto the table, as Colston slumped in his seat.

Hyun-a inquired, “Why do you think that, then?”

“I was gonna close this gig down anyway.” Colston shrugged. “As much as I love space stuff, it won’t do anything for me in the future. It took me an extremely long year to figure that out.”

“But don’t you wanna study the stars, or become an astronaut? I think that’d be pretty neat.”

“Naaaah, I’m not good enough. I’m fine with just being ‘that one kid who likes space.’ Wait a minute…” Colston chuckled, “My god, nobody even knows who I am! And I don’t even know what to do with my life.” He eventually burst into laughter, “Aha, it’s even funnier because I felt like this club was the only thing going for me! I’m hilarious!”

“Uh…” Yeah, Hyun-a knew that this kid was definitely a lost cause. “I still feel like it’d be worth it, though. Even if you don’t become an astronomer, you might as well  _ try to _ . A small bit of effort is better than not doing anything.”

“No, you don’t get it. Knowin’ shit about space is the only thing I’m good at, but if nobody even cares, then what’s the point? If I’m putting effort in something nobody will even care about, then why should I bother?” Colston grabbed a bag of chips that was beside him and opened it up, sticking his hand inside. 

“Ugh, listen, you—“ Hyun-a interrupted herself and glared at Colston. “Are… bro, are you eating chips?”

“It’s called stress eatin’. It gets lonely here.”

“But we’re talking…”

“I’m still listenin’,” Colston stated with his mouth full, “Say what you wanna say.” 

“Uh, okay. Anyway…” Hyun-a cleared her throat, “Not everyone is going to care, but life is short, dude. There’s no point in impressing everyone. Just do what you do best.” Hyun-a grinned, “C’mon, tell me a few space facts.”

“The space stuff I know is dumb as hell, are ya sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. If you don’t tell me anything, I’ll just leave and never talk to you again.”

“Meh, wouldn’t matter.”

Hyun-a rolled her eyes. “I was kidding. C’mon, just tell me, like, a thing or two.”

Colston sighed, “Alright then. Did you know that space is silent?” 

Hyun-a gave him a dirty look.

“I was obviously kidding,” He chuckled, “But for real, Venus has a slow axis rotation, so a single day there takes up two-hundred twenty-five earth days. Did you know that?”

“Uh, no, I actually didn’t. What else do you know?”

“The galaxy that’s the closest to the Milky Way is The Andromeda Galaxy, which will collide with us in a few billion years. There’s a huge cloud of water vapor that’s been found in space. There are huge volcanoes on Mars. The nearest black hole is three-thousand light years away.” He took a deep breath, “Anything else you need to know?”

“Wow…” Hyun-a stared at him, totally dumbfounded. “That’s impressive. How’d you learn about all of that stuff?”

“I’ve researched for hours on the internet and paid close attention in science. I’d rather read books, though… it’s hard for me to search stuff up on the internet. Like, what’s code?”

“I can tell that you really like astronomy. It sucks that nobody wants to join your club. And speaking of that…” She stood up from the chair and widely smiled at Colston, “So let’s hand out some of those flyers of yours. Unless you’re giving up like a loser would.”

“Wow, I like your style.” 

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah, you can hurt someone’s feelings and not even care. That’s respectable, man.”

“...I don’t think that’s a good thing, but thanks anyway.”

Colston stood alongside her. “I have a few more flyers left on top of that shelf. This better work, or else I’m done with this shit, for real…”

“Hey, who knows? Maybe today is your lucky day.”

“Sure, sure. It better be.”

*****

Hyun-a and Colston walked outside into the schoolyard, both carrying a stack of flyers to hand out.

Hyun-a piped, “Alright, we’re gonna do this. Don’t bail out on me, okay?”

Colston repeatedly nodded his head. “Well, it’s not like I have a choice.”

“I thought you wanted to do this.”

“I do, but I don’t have a choice but to accept my terrible fate if this goes bad.”

“...Please stop.” Hyun-a scanned the area and noticed a rather suspicious-looking redhead standing by a tree with his phone.

How did he look suspicious? According to Hyun-a, it’s all in the eyes. Spooky.

Despite this, Hyun-a was willing to do anything to keep Colston satisfied so he wouldn’t keep saying random negative comments. She also genuinely wanted to help, and it’s not like she didn’t want to whatsoever, but she was getting a bit tired of the discouragement.

She walked up to the redhead and handed out a flyer. “Hey, uh, wanna join the Astronomy Club? We’re recruiting new people.” 

He looked up from his phone. “Huh? Oh, hi. What’s up?”

“Did you even hear me?”

“Uh, no. What do you want?”

“Ugh.” Hyun-a mentally facepalmed and surpressed the urge to say some not-so-nice things to this kid. At least she was trying. “Do you wanna join the Astronomy Club? I’m trying to help out this kid I know.”

“Hmm… no thanks. I’m too busy chilling with my girlfriend after school.”

“What, do you make out or something?”

“Nah. We hang out. I have multiple girlfriends, actually. I’m quite the ladies man.”

“...Okay.” Hyun-a cringed and slowly backed away from him. “Thanks for your time… dude.”

_ Welp, I just came across a total creep.  _

She returned to Colston, only to spot him sitting at a bench, the flyers laid down next to him.

“Kid…”

“Oh, hey, you’re back.” Colston relaxed against the bench and closed his eyes. “Is my name ‘kid’ now, too? That’s neat.”

“Might as well be.” Hyun-a rolled her eyes and grabbed Colston’s arm, pulling him up from the bench. “Kid, why aren’t you doing anything?”

“Well, funny story. I saw a girl, and get this, I think she was flirting with me. She gave me a weird look when I gave her the flyer, and she walked away from me. Ain’t that awesome?”

“Kid.”

“But then, of course, it went all downhill from there. I saw, like, ten people, and I literally hate crowds, so I gave up. Inspirin’, right?”

“Kid.”

“Y’know, I thought today would really be my lucky day, but screw that. It’s even funnier because even though I’m hella desperate, I can’t stand crowds. I just don’t like the shitty kids, y’know? There’s a lot of ‘em here. You should know, right?”

“Kid!”

“Anyway, point is, I give up. You cou—“

“KID!”

“What, what?!”

Hyun-a grabbed the flyers which were beside him, and forced them into his hands. “You’re holding these.”

He sarcastically commented, “Wow, I’m so lucky to have these. I’d totally be lost without these extremely well-made flyers.”

“We can do this, Kid. Don’t you think you can?”

“No.”

“Oh well, come with me.”

*****

“Today is  _ not  _ my lucky day. To hell with this,” Colston groaned, tiredly entering the clubroom alongside Hyun-a. “See? I told you that it wasn’t gonna work. People barely even notice me. Am I a ghost? At this point, I wouldn’t even be surprised, man.” He yet again grabbed another bag of chips and stuffed the food into his mouth.

“Stop it, you’re not a ghost. They just weren’t interested, that’s all,” Hyun-a stated. “Plus, most of the students already went home. I’m sure that if we went out earlier—“

“It wouldn’t have made a difference.” He then crumbled up the flyers in his hand, and threw them onto the floor. “I’m sorry I wasted your time. You could’ve been chillin’ with your friends or something.”

“Well actually,” Hyun-a corrected, “My friends weren’t here today.” She bluntly stated, “But you’re right. I  _ did  _ waste all of my time here. There was no point in even talking to you.” She dramatically hopped onto one of the chairs and sat down, facing towards him with furrowed eyebrows. “Everything sucks, and you’re hella boring. I should’ve just gone home a long time ago.”

“H-Hey, I know I’m boring, but you didn’t have to go  _ that  _ far.”

“Everything I just said? Well, that’s exactly what you’d say to yourself if you were me, right?”

“Uh… probably, yeah, but I wouldn’t blame you if ya actually meant all that.”

“And that’s the problem. You’re being so negative, it’s making me sick. Why not try thinking positive for once?” 

“Because the world is falling apart, duh. There’s nothing good happenin’ right now. It’s obvious at this point.” Colston muttered, “And for some reason, I feel like our next president is gonna suck ass. But hey, that’s just me.”

“Well, I don’t wanna talk to someone who’s gonna ruin my mood, so I might as well just go.”

“Okay then. Have fun.”

“I…”

_ He doesn’t even seem to care…  _

“...Look, I’m trying to help you as much as I can, but why are you deciding to give up?”

Colston suggested, “If you really wanna help me, then just join the club.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t really like that sorta thing.”

Colston stopped himself from grabbing another chip and sighed. “Ah, I get it. Everything you said before about ‘helping me’ and shit is a lie. That makes total sense. Well, I don’t blame ya either. I’m sorry for troublin’—“

“Are all of my opinions wrong, then?! Can I not have a say in anything anymore?! Because it sure feels like it!”

Dang, she snapped. 

Colston was taken aback by this, and his eyes widened in shock. “That’s not what I meant…” He mumbled, solemnly looking down. 

“Oh…” Realizing what she had done, Hyun-a slowly rubbed her forehead and bore a frown. “Look,” She sighed, “I didn’t mean to do that. Sorry, Kid. I just don’t even know what to say at this point, I guess… y’know, I should probably leave, anyway. It’s getting late.”

“No, don’t leave, this is all my fault.” He took a few seconds to himself in order to think of what to say next. Taking another deep breath, he questioned, “But… are ya good?”

“No… nothing’s alright. I’ve been trying to distract myself from all of this the whole time, but it really is impossible.” She laid her head down onto the table, and murmured, “I have a bunch of schoolwork, I’m struggling with even talking to people in general, and I hurt my little cousin’s feelings. I keep saying the wrong things, but I can’t help it.”

“Old habits die hard. That’s what the ‘cool people’ say,” Colston replied. “But yeah, I kinda get your problem. You’re pretty nit-picky, right?”

“...At this point, I can’t deny that.”

“Well, you know me already, I’m dumb, and I’m terrible with advice. So I can’t help ya with that as much as I want to.”

“Same for me. I can’t give people advice on anything. Whenever I do, it just makes things worse.”

“That ain’t true. You helped me a bit today. I should’ve said this earlier, but thanks.” He quielty spoke, “Even if we couldn’t recruit anyone, I’m glad you were with me. And I don’t think you’re a bad person.” 

“Isn’t it a bit too late to say that now?”

Colston nodded. “Yeah, I know. I have the worst timing ever.”

“Nah, I was just kidding. Thank you.” Hyun-a smiled widely, and rose to her feet. She placed both of her hands on Colston’s shoulders, and reassured him, “Don’t worry, I might change my mind about joining your club if that’ll help you. Just let me take care of all this first, ‘kay?”

“Are you for real? Do you really mean that?” 

“Yeah, I promise.” She stressed, “But at least let me try to lighten the mood a bit, alright? I don’t wanna talk about the end of the world for three hours.”

“Fair enough, I’ll try. Don’t expect much of that from me though. I’d probably be rambling about some stupid space conspiracies instead.”

“I’m looking forward to that. How ironic.” Hyun-a looked up at the clock, and noticed that it read ‘4:50PM.’ She motioned for Colston to stand up, suggesting, “Hey, it’s almost five. We should probably be going home soon.”

“You’re right.” He stood up from his chair, and walked towards the clubroom’s door. “Well, let’s go then. I bet it’s gonna rain, so we better go before it gets worse.”

“Sure…”

_ The news didn’t even say that it was gonna rain… this kid... are all 6th graders this cynical? _

“See you tomorrow, Kid.” She walked into the hallway alongside him as they made their way to the entrance.

“Same to you. “Anyway, I gotta wait by the parking lot, since my granny always picks me up at five, so... I’ll just be chillin’ here.”

“Oh, that’s neat. I always just walk home since it’s close by.” She wished that she could’ve said that she used to walk home with her cousin Min-Jun.

“Lucky you, I’ve always wanted to walk home by myself. My granny’s car smells like a dog’s crap.”

“At least it doesn’t smell like something worse.”

Colston snickered, “Yeah, like what could be worse than dog shit?” This made Hyun-a laugh a little. “So, I’ll see ya tomorrow I guess. Hopefully.

“Yeah, see ya later. Y’know… I already feel a bit better now.”

“That’s great. I hope the bad luck doesn’t catch ya on your way home.” 

“Sure, sure. Later, Colston.” She waved goodbye, and walked onto the sidewalk, making her way home. 

If she could help a kid she barely knew, then surely she’d be able to fix things with her cousin, right?


	11. Piledriver Waltz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy attends a cooking class along with Dennis, and they decide to make something for Ruby.

“Rudy, get this! It’s finally summer vacation!” Ruby stormed into her brother’s room, busting the door right open. She continued to shout, beaming, “I can’t believe it! I actually got through my first year of middle school! Isn’t that super-duper awesome? I knew I could do it!”

“Yeah, that’s great, but please knock first.” Rudy sighed, noticing the sudden movement of Ruby hugging him tightly. “...And, personal space.” 

“Sorry, sorry!” She quickly backed off from him, and sat down. “I’m just really excited. It’s our first Monday without any school, bro!”

“But what about holidays? I’m pretty sure we’ve had plenty of Mondays without school.”

“Yeah, but it feels so different!” She closed her eyes and pointed across the room for dramatic effect. “The refreshment of getting through your first year of middle school… Totally acing it like a boss… And not having any class for three whole months! Isn’t that super exciting?!”

“Yeah, it is. But it’s a bit different for me. I’ve already been through 6th grade. And this past year hasn’t felt any different. I’m not complaining though, the year was great.” He mumbled, “But I can’t find my notebook for some reason…”

“Yup! Man, I always thought that the beginning middle school would be a bit rocky, at first. It’s always like that in those shows we watch!  _ Especially _ sitcoms.”

“Yeah, well, everything on TV has to be overdramatized. It makes things entertaining, but it’s too unrealistic.”

“Yeah, I kinda agree with ya. And by the way, since we’re talking about this, what kind of show would you wanna live in? For school, of course.”

“That’s easy, a slice of life. Those keep things pretty simple.”

“Ah, like from one of your visual novels, right?” She looked over to his computer, “Yeah! You play those all the time. Why do you never talk about ‘em?”

“I just don’t wanna mention that sorta thing around other people. They’re gonna call me names. What am I supposed to say when they ask for the type of visual novels I play? I can’t just say ‘Otome games.’”

“What are ‘Otome games?’ Does it have to do with fantasy?” 

Rudy shook his head, “N-No, forget I said that. But I bet you’d love to live in a fantasy, right?”

“Actually, not really. Those dragon things scare me to death. It’s frightening… they give me chills. Plus, I’m not even allowed to watch most fantasy-themed shows and stuff. Apparently they’re for adults. That’s why I just watch sitcoms instead!” 

“Ah, I’m so glad we don’t live in a sitcom…”

“Why not? Literally everything you do would be funny! Plus, your problems instantly get solved in less than twenty minutes. Wouldn’t that be cool?”

“Definitely, but…” He averted his eyes, “I don’t wanna be surrounded by hundreds of stalkers.”

“Ahah, stalkers..?” Ruby nervously laughed, “Bro, not everyone is watching you, I told you that already.”

“That’s not it. It's the laughter. It’s mocking me… mockinng my every movement…”

“But there’s nobody laughing at you right now.”

“And that’s what they want you to think, sis. That’s what everyone in this world wants you to think. And I don’t live for it.”

“Don’t be so paranoid about it, everythings gonna be fine.” She patted Rudy’s back at a slow pace, attempting to cheer him up. “Mom had a talk with you about this, and you know how long her talks are.” 

They both mumbled in unison, “A whole day.”

“That’s right.” Ruby added. “Oh, and speaking of Mom, she was calling for you earlier, but I don’t think you heard her.” 

“Oh, I was taking a nap. What did she call me for?”

“Nothing big. She just wanted to ask if you wanted to be in a summer activity… thingie. I don’t know what they’re called, but they seem pretty cool.”

“Like a camp or something? Is that what she meant?”

“No, not exactly. She mentioned a cooking class thing going on this weekend. There’s also an arts and crafts activity, a picnic at the park, a scavenger hunt, and—“

“Wait a minute, a cooking class?”

“Yeah, that’s right! She figured that you might like that one the most. Probably because nobody here can cook. But why not go to the picnic? You can make some more friends or something!”

“Nah, the park is gonna have too many people. Sorry, but I feel like there won’t be that many at the cooking one.”

“That makes sense. Well, I guess that’s a plus for you, since the cooking classes are being held at our school!”

“W-Wait a minute, our school? Hold up…”

“Yup! You’ll be paired up with someone, and basically be forced to make something with them in less than three hours.”

“I-If you put it  _ that _ way, it makes it worse!”

“Hey, don’t worry! We can both be partners! That way, it won’t be too hard for ya. What do you think?”

“But…”

“But if you don’t wanna do it, that’s totally fine! Besides, I was gonna try out for a sports team anyway.” 

“Wait, I didn’t know you were gonna do that! Just go to tryouts, then. I’ll attend the cooking class myself.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, totally. Just do your thing, and don’t worry about me.”

“Thanks, bro. Wanna go and tell Mom that you’re interested? She’s in the kitchen right now.”

Rudy nodded, “Sure.”

_ If I go by myself, I might be able to make something for Ruby… _

*****

“Oh my god! I didn’t know you’d be here, dude!” Dennis sprinted towards him, excitedly shaking his hand. “I’m so glad that we got paired together! This is gonna be so awesome!”

“P-Please, keep it down, you’re being too loud—“ Rudy attempted to pull his hand away, but it was no use. Suddenly, Dennis turned Rudy around and rested his arm on Rudy’s shoulders. He grinned widely, as they were now both facing the table.

“No time, dude! C’mon, let’s take a photo…” He grabbed the phone inside his pocket and lifted it up high, prepping for a selfie.

“W-Why are you taking a photo now? We need to start, like everyone—“

“Oh, chill for a bit, this’ll only take a few seconds! I’m an expert at taking the perfect selfies at the perfect time!” Dennis pulled Rudy closer to him. Rudy was struggling to get out, but he eventually gave in, as Dennis snapped the photo. It was painfully terrible.

“Can you let go of me now?” Rudy pleaded, watching as Dennis put his phone down.

“Yeah, sure dude.” Dennis let go, no longer invading Rudy’s personal space. He beamed with enthusiasm, “So what are we gonna make? Cookies? Doughnuts? Cake? Candy? Ooh, ooh, carrot cake?!”

“Why do they all have to be desserts?” Rudy inquired. “Plus, we only have three hours, so let’s use that time wisely. We’re also supposed to be learning things. We can have fun too, but if we’re gonna be serious about this, we have to—“

“Aaand skip all of that! We’re making some cake, dude! And cake is, like, the best thing ever. Let’s make some carrot cake, first!”

“‘First?’ How many are you—Seriously, isn’t everyone else doing that? Don’t you wanna be creative?”

“Wait, for real? Whoops, I didn’t know. But oh well! Let’s be the first pair to finish our cake! I know we can do it! With the power of our friendship, and—“

“We’re not here to make dramatic speeches.” Rudy looked around to check if anyone was staring at him. He then sighed, ”Ugh… I just wanted to make something for Ruby.”

“Wait, hold up! For Ruby? My bestest friend of all time?!” Dennis excitedly jumped up and down, “What do you wanna make for her? Some carrot cake, or something?”

“What is it with you and—“

“Dude, why aren’t you paired with your own sister? And how come she isn’t here? Did y’all have a fight or something?” He dramatically gasped, “Oh no, what if you two secretly found out that you weren’t family this whole time..! Maybe you were enemies from a past life, or—“

“She didn’t wanna come,” He replied with a straight face.

“What?! But whyyyyy~?”

“She’s at sports tryouts. I know you want her to be here, but she isn’t coming. Let her do what she wants.”

“You seem to care a lot about that…” Dennis mumbled, crossing his arms.

“W-Well, because she’s my own sister!” Rudy’s voice softened, “And… she doesn’t really do what she wants anymore. She always tags along with what I do because she’s worried.”

“For real? I thought that Ruby was on the sports team the entire time I was gone! We used to talk about that all the time!”

“You did? What did she say?”

“Well, a long time ago, she said something like, ‘I know what I’m good at now, so I’m gonna be in the sports team someday.’ But now I know that she hasn’t joined after all.”

“What did she mean by ‘I know what I’m good at now?’” The look of both confusion and concern was plastered all over his face.

“Well, back in 5th grade, she kept going on about not having anything she was good at, apparently. She tried absolutely everything there was at school, but nope! Things didn’t change, and she got reaaaally frustrated.” 

“Oh, I didn’t even know that…”

“Yup! She was pretty mopey, too. I think she mentioned something like ‘I’m gonna give this idea to Rudy instead,’ but I totally forgot what it was about. It probably wasn’t too huge, though! Plus, she seems to be fine now, so I don’t think we need to worry! Right, dude?”

“I guess. She  _ does  _ seem pretty happy.”

However, Rudy still can’t help but worry. Sure, she seemed pretty happy now, but what was going on? Would things get awkward between them? He wasn’t the kind of person to ask someone a bunch of personal questions, so he figured that it’d be best to not talk about it with Ruby. But the fact that she was probably still hurting inside bothered him. He’s wanted to help this whole time, but it’s hard when he doesn’t know what the issue is. Now’s not the time to obsess over that, though.

“Anyway,” Rudy continued, “If we’re really going with making desserts, we should probably bake some cupcakes. She loves those.”

“Ah, you’re a genius, dude! That’s perfect! And that’s much better than making carrot cake.” 

“...Question,” Rudy paused, raising his eyebrow. “Why do you keep calling me ‘dude?’ You know my name, right?”

“Yeah, I do! I’m just a nickname kind of guy, y’know?”

“Well… It’s better than calling me a grandpa.” Rudy grabbed the ingredients and cooking utensils, and laid them out on the table before them. “...I never thought that I’d be doing this with someone.”

“What do you mean?” Dennis tilted his head in confusion, then playfully teased, “Oh, I get it! You just don’t feel worthy enough to be in my presence, right? I totally get that!” 

“No, that’s not it.” He gave Dennis a quick glare. “I’ve just never been able to have an actual conversation with someone other than my sister, and… basically anyone else who wasn’t in the club a year ago. And now, here I am… leading a club, making friends for once, and talking to the second version of Lisa. This is some weird dream…” As he spoke, he poured the flour and baking powder into a bowl, and mixed them together with a fork. He took a quick glance at the instructions beside him, which read, ‘Pour two eggs into a seperate bowl and beat them with the mixer.’ 

“Well, this ain’t a dream, dude!” Dennis chuckled, grabbing another bowl and setting it in front of Rudy. He cracked the eggs for him, and threw away the shells. “But, you don’t seem to be happy about leading a club, that’s for sure! How come?” He handed the mixer to Rudy, motioning him to turn it on. 

“Well, because…” Rudy activated the mixer, and beat the eggs violently, ranting, “Isn’t it obvious? This whole thing is a total mess, Dennis! It’s loud, chaotic, and non-organized. Does the Anime Club even COUNT as a club? I bet it doesn’t!”

“Really? I don’t get where you’re coming from, ‘cuz everything seems fine to me!” Dennis grinned widely, shrugging.

“Ah, I knew it. I’m just being paranoid again… I need to stop being like this.” Rudy sighed, and turned the mixer off, calming down a little. After reading the instructions again, he poured the flour and baking powder into the bowl, and proceeded to mix them together. “I’m not even fit to be a leader. Everyone else here is smarter than me, too.” 

“Nah, I think you’re pretty cool! And I think you’re a great leader, too!” Dennis snickered and put his hands on his hips, adding, “...Even if you look like an old man with that hair! Plus, you’ll never be as cool as me, but at least you’re pretty close to that!”

Rudy let out a sigh.

_ He just had to ruin it, didn’t he? _

Once he finished beating the ingredients, he looked onto the instructions once again, which read, ‘Next, pour half a cup of oil into the bowl.’ 

He made eye contact with Dennis, and furrowed his eyebrows, explaining, “But there have to be a few things I’m doing wrong, right? But nobody’s telling me… I just wanna be a better leader.”

“I see.” Dennis looked up to the ceiling and took a moment to think. He then exclaimed, “Listen! Literally everyone who tells me that I’m impatient has said that ‘things take time!’ So, here’s my advice to you! If you wanna be a better leader, then start acting like one!”

“By that, you mean..?”

“I mean, things are gonna change! And like, a whole lot! You see, someone told me that boys mature differently from girls, and around this age, our hormo—“

“That isn’t what you were talking about at all! What even is this? We’re getting sidetracked…” Rudy groaned, adding a bit of baking powder and sugar to the bowl. 

“Ah, sorry! Scratch all of that! I meant that as time passes, you’ll handle things a bit differently, that’s all. And who knows? Maybe you’ll become a stuck-up popular kid who brags about looking like a grandpa! I don’t even know! I’m just going off of what my parents tell me!”

“Ahah, I guess so…” Rudy nervously laughed, while going off of the instructions. “Hey, can you pour a half cup of milk while I get the cupcake pan?” Dennis nodded and grabbed a carton of milk, pouring it slowly. 

He soothed, “Hey, you don’t have to worry about everything so much, y’know! Plus, it’s summer vacation! It’s not like anything bad can happen or anything.”

“I know, but that’s just how I am… I can’t help it.” Rudy held the cupcake pan and brought it to the table. “But even with this, I’m super popular, somehow. And it’s bothering me like crazy. I feel like I’m constantly being watched. But these people barely even know me.” He took a few cupcake liners, and poured the batter in. “It’s because of our family’s money, probably. I can’t believe it took me two years to figure that out.”

“Well, are you sure it’s only because of that?” Dennis questioned, baring a teasing smile. It was hard to tell what his intentions were. “I mean, sure, your family is pretty rich and all, and that’s cool! But why else do you think they like you?”

“Isn’t that it..?” Once he was complete with pouring the batter, Rudy set the pan aside. “There aren’t too many cool things about me, so I don’t really get it.”

“Are you crazy, dude?!” Dennis blurted out. “Y’know what? I’m not telling you.”

“W-Wait, how come?”

“Did you seriously think that you'd get an answer like that from someone as cool as me?” He hysterically laughed, which made Rudy slightly frustrated. Settling down, he comforted, “Shouldn’t you figure that out on your own? You are yourself, after all.” 

“So, you’re not gonna help me?” Rudy murmured, as he turned the oven on.

“Hey, I helped you with all that other stuff! I’m trying my best here, dude.”

“Yeah, I know. Thanks, though.” He looked onto the instructions one last time, and put in the oven’s temperature. He placed the cupcake pan inside, and set the timer to twenty minutes. “Alright, now we just have to wait.”

“Oh, how long?” Dennis curiously walked towards the oven and took a quick look. “Hold up, twenty minutes? That’s way too long! What are we supposed to do now? Do we just make some more while we’re waiting for those to finish, or…?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I feel like these should be enough.” Rudy took a breather, and observed the room, checking to see if the other students were done.

“Aww man, why not? We have, like, three hours! Plus, I really wanted to make some carrot cupcakes.” He stuttered, “W-Wait, do I call them carrot cake cupcakes, or just carrot cupcakes? W-Whatever, I’ll just call ‘em… uh, the first one!”

“Okay, seriously, why do you like carrot cake so much? You’ve been talking about it since we started.” 

“I don’t even know, it just tastes really good! Ruby doesn’t agree though, but meh, it's her loss.”

“I don’t like carrot cake that much, either.”

“...And it’s your loss, too.” 

“Hey, who’re you making those for, Rudy?” A student suddenly appeared behind Dennis, and waved at Rudy. Dennis scooted over to the side, so the student could speak with Rudy.

“Oh, hey Hyun-a. I didn’t know you’d be here.” Rudy grinned at her and scratched his head.

“Yeah, and I didn’t think I’d see you, either. I’m partnered with some green-haired girl, and she’s been talking about you nonstop, aha. But, we just finished making our brownies, so I’m just going around and giving them to everyone here.” She handed out a plastic bag containing a brownie to Rudy, and turned around to face Dennis. “Hey, you’re Dennis, right?” She added, “I think I’ve seen you before.”

“Of course you have!” Dennis boasted, “I’m kinda the most coolest kid around here.”

“Your grammar,” Hyun-a inaudibly grumbled. She handed him a brownie and put her hands on her hips, facing towards Rudy again. “Anyway, I think this girl wants to talk to you, or something. I don’t know if it’s already obvious or not.”

“Yeah, I figured.” Rudy sighed, “What’s her name?” 

“I think it’s… Serena? Apparently, she‘s in 9th grade or something. Please tell her to stop talking about your notebook, it’s driving me insane.”

“W-Wait, my notebook? How—“

“Hey, Rudy. I need to return something to you.” Serena walked up to them, holding a notebook in her hands. She surprisingly looked fairly normal, and polite. She didn’t seem like much of the talkative type either, which was strange. Her wispy bangs were close to covering her eyes, which were sharp and colored in hazel. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“Oh, hey Serena. Nice to meet you.”

“He knows my name…” She mumbled.

“What?”

“Nothing. Here you go. You dropped your notebook on the last day of school. You always come out of that clubroom after school, so I figured that you’d be there.” 

“O-Oh, I was wondering where it went. Thanks.” Serena handed the notebook to Rudy, and still kept a deadpan look on her face.

“No problem. You draw these sketches while in the Anime Club, right? They’re good.”

“W-Wait, you looked?” Rudy panicked, and forced the notebook back into Serena’s hands. “Y-You know what? This isn’t even mine. My drawings are super bad, and the art style is—“

“It has your name written down.”

“M-Must be a different Rudy. Hey, just go on the internet and do a search for how many people have my name! I-I’m sure there’s someone—“

Hyun-a scoffed, “Pfft, the ‘Anime Club?’ Are you in that thing..?” She attempted to conceal her laughter, but found herself giggling like a schoolgirl. “Ahahah! That sounds so… cool! D-Do you watch cartoons or something? For, like, two hours a day?! Ah, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be laughing…” 

“Yeah, we totally do!” Dennis exclaimed, nodding at Hyun-a. “Rudy is the leader, and we do lots of cool stuff. Like, uh… talking.”

“No,” Rudy mumbled, playing with his hair. “We study for tests and stuff.”

“Rudy, you’re the worst liar ever.” Hyun-a called out, “You always play with your hair whenever you’re lying. It's weird, but you do it.”

“No I don’t, I’m just nervous.”

“Whatever you say,” She chuckled, shrugging as Serena’s eyes darted around the room. “Anyway, Serena, did you just wanna return his notebook, or…? I already gave these two something.”

“I need to ask you something.” Serena cleared her throat. “Who’s contributed the least in your club, by the way?”

“W-Why’re you asking that?” Rudy questioned.

“From what I’ve seen, your club is going pretty well. But I feel like it’s missing something.”

“...What?”

“It’s missing pazzazz.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you messing with me, or..?”

“Guess I’ll answer my own question. That person in the hoodie.” 

“...Dennis?”

Serena facepalmed, and Dennis dramatically gasped. “What?! I’ve done plenty of stuff! I don’t even clean, but I take photos of our club! That’s super important, right?!”

“If you’re not a part of the Yearbook Club, then nope,” Hyun-a murmured. 

“Nevermind.” Serena sighed. “I just wanted to get a feel of what it’d be like. It sounds great, but I’m already in the Debate Club.” She shook Rudy’s hand, and consoled, “Best of luck for the next year. Nice to meet you.” 

“Yeah, you too.” Rudy awkwardly smiled and watched as Serena walked back to her and Hyun-a’s table. 

_ She seems pretty nice. _

“She acts pretty formal because of her dad. She told me that earlier.” Hyun-a whispered into his ear, “But she’s actually a huge fangirl. I think you should be careful.”

“It’s fine, I guess. At least she isn’t crazy, or anything…  _ I mean, I hope she isn’t.” _

“Yeah. Well, I’ll see you two later. The teacher said that if we finish early, we can go. Only if our parents are here to pick us up, though.”

“I’m gonna text my grandma, then!” Dennis exclaimed, pulling out his phone. “These cupcakes are almost done, anyway!”

“See you later, Hyun-a.” Rudy waved goodbye, and smiled.

“Later.” She left the two, and walked towards Serena. 

Dennis snickered, “Heh, you two seem pretty close.” 

“Yeah, we met, like, a month ago.”

“Are you guys, y’know, together?”

“O-Of course not. I don’t even—“

“Your lungs said to her: ‘We BE-LUNG together!’”

“...You just wanted an excuse to say that terrible pun.”

“...Yeah, I’ve had that one for months. Anyway, I’ve only thought of this just now, but how are you gonna take these home, once they’re done?”

“Oh, I didn’t think of that.” Rudy mentally facepalmed and faced towards the oven, “And, it’s not like we can put these in bags, or something. The frosting we’ll be putting on will get messed up.”

“You’re totally right, it will! Darn it, uh…” Dennis crossed his arms, and tried to think up a solution. He then beamed, “Ah, I got it! Let’s just ask the teacher to package ‘em for us. There aren’t too many, so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Yeah, sounds good.” Rudy took a look at the timer again, and read aloud, “‘Nine minutes’ left. That’s how long we have to wait, now.”

“Dang, time went by pretty quickly! Ah, I can’t wait to finish these up!” Dennis hastily messaged his guardian, and showed his phone to Rudy. “Hey, wanna play a game or something? I have a whole ton on here.”

“Sure. Time will go by a bit quicker, too.”

*****

Once Dennis finished applying frosting and a few toppings to the cupcakes, he took a step away from the table, alongside Rudy, to admire their work.

“Wow, these turned out great! They look amazing! I kinda wanna eat them all!”

“You’re right, they look really good. I might make these at home more often.” Rudy grinned, and walked away, “I’ll ask the teacher to help us package these, now. I hope that Ruby is done with tryouts by the time I get home.”

“Yeah, I hope she likes them!” 

For the next few minutes, their teacher gathered some small, cellophane bags, and carefully placed the cupcakes inside of them, tying them with a ribbon. Once she was finally done, the two of them thanked her, and grabbed a plastic bag to carry the packed cupcakes in. 

“You better hold it carefully, dude! You don’t want those things to get messed up,” Dennis teased. They both walked outside, and sat on a bench near the parking lot.

“Yeah, of course.” Rudy nodded. “Thanks for helping me with these, I really appreciate it.”

“No problem! I’m glad we got to work together, dude. We’re the, uh, unstoppable duo! Do you wanna be called that, or what?”

Rudy giggled, “Yeah, sure, I don’t mind. It sounds cool, I guess.”

“Yup! Cool, just like us.” Dennis made a fist, which took a bit for Rudy to understand, but he eventually got the memo, and did the same. They lightly bumped their fists together, and laughed. 

“Hey…” Rudy then put his hand inside the bag and grabbed a packaged cupcake. He held it out towards Dennis, and smiled. “You can have this. You helped me a whole lot.”

“Really? For me? Yay, thank you so much!” He carefully grabbed the cupcake and rejoiced. “I’m gonna have it as soon as I get home. Heh, I’ll get to brag about the stuff we made to my grandma! She’s gonna get, like, super jealous!”

“You seem to really like your grandmother.”

“Of course! Everyday after school, we chill and watch some TV. It’s great!” He noticed a car pulling over, which he knew was his. “Oh, there she is!” He quickly got up from the bench, and hastily ran towards the back seat. “Thank you so much, Rudy. I’ll see you later!”

“See ya.” Rudy waved goodbye, as Dennis got into the car that eventually drove away. He got up from the bench as well, and took the bag with him, making his way to the sidewalk. The sun was starting to set, and a bright, vibrant orange was being casted across the sky. It somewhat made him feel calm.

_ I hope she’s actually home. I need to thank her. I couldn’t have done all of this for nothing. That’s impossible.  _

The information he got from Dennis earlier was hard to process. Of course, siblings can’t always tell each other everything, but they were different. That’s what he always thought. Now, it turns out that she hasn’t been telling her own family any of the problems she’s been having, and those problems have been bugging her for a few years. But is that still the case now? Rudy was unsure, for she’s been a bit happier than usual. It can’t just be her putting up a strong front, or pretending that everything is fine. That was something neither of them could do... perhaps, until now.

Rudy walked into his home, and placed the bag onto the kitchen counter. His mother, including Ruby, came into the kitchen, hearing the front door open.

“¡Bienvenido a casa! How was it, swee—“ His mother was interrupted by Ruby running past her, and towards Rudy.

“Hey, bro! Guess what? I made the tryouts! I’m so glad you’re back! How was it? What did you make? And who did you make it for?” 

“Easy, too many questions,” Rudy nervously laughed. “But wait, you made the tryouts? That’s awesome.”

“Yeah, it is! Now… What did you make?”

“I made some cupcakes or something. I actually made them for you.” He picked the bag up and held it, showcasing it to her.

“For real?! But why? You and your partner could’ve had them all yourselves!”

“Yeah, I know. But, I’ve wanted to say thank you… for helping me out so much, you know?”

“B-But...” She faked a sniffle, “You totally didn’t have to. Thanks bro!” She hugged him tightly, not being wary of the bag he was holding. 

“It isn’t that big of a deal.” He smiled, hugging her back. 

“Y’all are making me emotional.” Their mother dramatically grabbed a few tissues, and patted Ruby’s back. “But hey, guess what? I made some red rice with a side of salad for dinner! So do y’all wanna eat some of that, and have the cupcakes for dessert?”

“¡Sí! You’re the best, Mom.” Ruby got off of Rudy, and tightly hugged her mother. “I wanna have the most!”

Rudy was right, it really wasn’t much of a big deal, overall. But in this case, it was. He’s been aware of him not being able to properly express his gratitude, or have others know what he really means. This was the next step, and maybe,  _ just maybe _ , he’d be able to become a strong, dependable leader one day. 


	12. Tossing and Turning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Anime Club has a sleepover, but Min-Jun has a lot on his mind.

The six club members were chatting on a bright, Sunday morning at the park. They all decided to meet there that day, despite Rudy’s disapproval. They were sitting on top of an oddly-patterned blanket, which was laying by a tree.

“And hey, get this!” Lisa dramaticized, “And this, like, really sucks! But the cartoon I was gonna watch last night got replaced by some stupid reality show! Those suck! I’ve been waiting all month for the premiere, too!”

“Well, what happened?” Min-Jun questioned.

Lisa groaned, “Ugh, well, the premiere was moved to next month. It got delayed or something. I’m like, still super angry! For real, if I were in charge of the show, it’d still air it on TV.”

“Wait, what’s the show called, again?” Ruby asked out of curiosity.

“I forgot, but it was supposed to be a romance. My life is ruined...”

Min-Jun rolled his eyes. “If you were looking forward to it so much, how did you forget the title?”

“I forget things!”

“I feel you, though!” Dennis let out a sigh. “I was gonna watch some random show about ships the other day, but it got cancelled.”

Min-Jun cringed. “Why would you watch a show about ships…?”

“Oh. I know which one you’re talking about!’” Lisa declared, pointing at Min-Jun, “And, like, it’s the best cartoon of all time! The art, story, and characters are super amazing!”

“More like the ‘best cartoon of all time’ to you. Does it have any suspense, or something?”

“Well, how would you expect any suspense from a show about living in a ship?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. It sounds kinda dumb.”

“W-What? But you really, really need to watch it! It’s—“

“Lisa, he just doesn’t like comedy that much,” Rudy insisted. “I’m sure a few other people might be interested, though.”

“Yeah! And that’s probably why he has no sense of humor!” Dennis blurted out, in an attempt to make them laugh. This only made Min-Jun a bit annoyed, so… y’know, that was probably a bad idea.

“Yeah, you’re absolutely right! He just doesn’t get it!” Lisa beamed.

“Not you too…” Min-Jun grumbled. He looked towards Nagisa, and asked, “Hey, what kind of shows do you watch anyway?” No response. Just silence. “...Or do you not watch anything?” 

Nagisa finally replied, “It starts with a ‘D.’”

“‘D?’ You don’t know the word?”

Nagisa shook their head in response with a blank face.

“I think I know!” Both Lisa and Dennis blurted out random genres at once, “Drama? Detective? Dance?” Ruby and Rudy took some time to think.

“Documentaries?” Rudy inquired.

“Yes.” Nagisa nodded, “What does it mean?” 

“I don’t think anyone knows that,” Ruby chuckled, “But yeah, documentaries are pretty cool. Some of them are boring, so I just watch the animal or sports related ones. They’re neat!”

“I once watched a spooky documentary about some kids having a sleepover. It scarred me for life…” Rudy murmured, facing downwards.

“Ooh,” Dennis gasped, “Well, what happened at the end?” 

“There was a murderer. I can’t go to anyone’s house ever again.” 

“How do you know that you’re safe at your house, then?” Min-Jun mumbled, averting his eyes.

“Oh… Oh no.” Rudy looked up to the sky, with the look of fear plastered all over his face. “What if I’m not safe anywhere...?”

“Oh my god, Min-Jun!” Lisa exclaimed, raising her hand, “The way you just mentally scarred Rudy for the rest of his life reminded me of something!” 

Min-Jun jabbed, “You’re making me sound like a terrible person! And how did that remind you of something?!” 

“Remember we were talking about having a sleepover? Well, let’s just have one today! It’s the summer, and we can just ask our parents or something! It shouldn’t be too hard!”

“Our parents are obviously gonna say no. This is way too sudden! And we talked about that, like, two months ago! What’re we gonna do, anyway?”

“We can stay up all night, eat snacks, watch movies, and do cool stuff! Why don’t we go to my house? My mom is chill with anything!”

“Nah, your room looks too girly.” 

“Ooh, why’re you talkin’ about her room, huh?” Dennis tilted his head rather teasingly. “Is there something you wanna do?”

“You know what I mean. Most sleepovers happen in someone’s room. And I don’t wanna be surrounded by pink.” Min-Jun exasperated, “Plus, if we’re seriously gonna do this, why don’t we just go to Ruby’s house?” He quietly mumbled, “I mean, they’re hella rich…”

“Min, you’re a genius! That’s perfect!” Ruby exclaimed. This immediately grabbed Rudy’s attention. “Everyone can come to our house, and we’ll have the best sleepover party thing ever! What do ya think?”

“Sounds great! I’m in!” Dennis proclaimed, “I just gotta text my gran—I mean, Mom!”

Nagisa nodded in agreement, and continued to observe.

“That’s good, I guess! I’ll call Mom.” Lisa looked over to Min-Jun and questioned, “Well, are you in, or not?”

Min-Jun scratched his head. “Uh…” Despite being overwhelmed by what was going on, Rudy looked towards him, and noticed his melancholic expression, which caused him to get a bit concerned. Nagisa noticed this as well, but preferred to not say anything about it. “Yeah, sure, whatever.” Min-Jun facepalmed, “Oh god… This better not be a disaster.”

“Don’t worry, things should be fine,” Dennis quipped, “Unless you’re paranoid about the world ending!” 

“Wow, that’s funny…” Rudy nervously laughed. “But, we gotta ask Mom if this is okay, Ruby.”

“Yeah, I know! I’ll text her right now!” Ruby pulled out her phone, and looked through her contacts. 

“I have an idea, guys!” Lisa suggested, “Let’s all text our parents at the exact same time! Maybe, that way, they’ll all say yes!”

“And how’s that supposed to work...?” Min-Jun grumbled under his breath. 

“Uh, magic...? I don’t know, okay?! But maybe this was, like, fate or something! Everything that’s going to and will happen happens for a reason!”

“Makes perfect sense to me! C’mon Nagisa, get your phone!” Dennis demanded. In response, Nagisa grabbed their phone, and decided to message their mother. 

“‘Kay, y’all! On the count of three!” Lisa led, as the others hurried to type out their message. “One, two, three...!”

*****

“Woah! This place looks so cool!” Dennis excitedly ran around the living room, admiring each and every detail of the Myers’ house. “A second floor! A huge kitchen! An indoor pool! And, oh my god, a walk-in closet! I’m never going home!”

“Jeez, calm down. It’s not that big of a deal,” Min-Jun spat.

“This isn’t fair…” Lisa stomped on the ground. “Why are they so rich? This world isn’t fair. I hate this.” She looked over to Min-Jun, “You gotta admit it, you’re pretty jealous too, aren’t you?”

“N-No, of course not. Besides, I’ve been to Rudy’s house before. It’s not a big deal.”

“Are you sure about that, Min?” Ruby butted in, giggling as she tapped his shoulder. “The last time you came here, you were all like, ‘I wanna live here!’” 

“N-No, I wasn’t. You’re mistaken.” Min-Jun huffed, and walked away, attempting to avoid the conversation. “Anyway, what are we gonna do now, Lisa?”

“Well first, we’re gonna have some candy! Lot’s of it! We’re gonna need plenty of that stuff so we can stay up all night! Sounds good, right?” Lisa ran towards the kitchen, and pointed at the pantry (assuming there was candy inside).

“Having too much candy is pretty bad, though. We gotta be careful,” Ruby suggested.

“My sis is right,” Rudy chimed in. “Besides, candy increases the risk of getting diabetes, cancer, kidney diseases, and—“

“Where the hell did you find out about that stuff?!” Min-Jun glared at Rudy, wide-eyed. “Are you really that paranoid?” 

“Being paranoid isn’t the problem. I’m just being responsible.” Rudy noticed that Ruby already had a piece of candy in her pocket, and swiftly took it away. “There’s no such thing as being too cautious.” 

“Hey, I was gonna eat that,” Ruby pouted.

Rudy widely grinned. “Alright then! Let’s just do something a bit more safe instead, like playing some video games! That’ll be nice, right? That way, we won’t get diabetes.” 

“Ooh, that sounds good! I’m in, I’m in!” Dennis rushed to the living room, and hopped onto the couch. “I call being player one!” 

“Hey, that’s not fair! I wanted to be player one!” Lisa ran after him, following in his footsteps. She motioned Ruby to follow along, and sat on the couch, leaving a spot open for her.

“Hey, Nagisa! Do you wanna play?” Ruby waved over at Nagisa, who was still standing in the corner by the front door. They nodded, and walked with Ruby to the living room. 

Before Rudy followed the others, he again noticed that Min-Jun was acting a bit… off. He seemed to be a bit more on edge, and more moody than usual. Did something happen? Plus, he’d normally rebuke against the idea of having a sleepover, but he just went along with it. Rudy wasn’t complaining, but this wasn’t the Min-Jun he knew. 

He approached Min-Jun out of concern, but unintentionally startled him. “Hey, Min-Jun? Are you alright?” 

“W-What?” Min-Jun jumped and rapidly turned around. “What is it?!”

Rudy read his shocked expression and relented, “Oh, sorry. But, are you sick or something?”

“N-No, I’m totally fine. Everything is fine.”

“Are you sure? You don’t seem okay.”

“I’m telling you, everything is fine. Plus, we’re having this sleepover thing. Let’s just have some fun or whatever. I’m gonna go and get a snack… I-If that’s alright.”

“Alright then.” Rudy watched as Min-Jun went into the pantry, and looked for something to eat.

_ What the..? He asked if it was okay to get a snack? Am I actually talking to Min-Jun right now? _

Rudy shook his head. 

_ No, this is him, for sure... But he’s still being weird. Maybe he got possessed… Wait, that’d be terrible…! _

Once he turned around, he noticed that the others already started playing a game, and hurried over towards the couch. 

“This game looks too easy! I could totally beat y’all at this thing,” Lisa boasted, with the controller in hand.

“If you say so. Rudy and I have played this game for ages, and I’ve beat him literally every single time. Except for the tutorial.” Ruby paused, “Wait, that’s not something to brag about…” She started up the game, and pressed the buttons on her controller to choose a game mode. “Hey, do y’all wanna play regular multiplayer, or hardcore multiplayer?”

“Whichever one is harder!” Dennis exclaimed, “I’ll be winning in no time!”

“Ah, the game isn’t about winning, actually. Your goal is to arrive at the treasure, which is at the end of the game. Who gets it doesn’t matter, so—“

“Then I just have to get it first! Choose the hardest one!” Lisa looked down and noticed that Nagisa was sitting on the floor, and asked, “Oh, I forgot you were there. You wanna play, right?”

Nagisa didn’t really wanna play, but they had no choice. Everyone was already about to start the game, and it was decided to be the first thing they were doing. If Nagisa were Lisa, they’d want to play outside instead. They nodded anyway, which pleased Lisa.

“Alright, let’s start this thing!” She threw her fist up in the air in excitement, and accidentally hit Ruby. “Oh, whoops.”

“You guys better be careful. That game is addictive, I swear.” Rudy walked into the living room, and sat beside Nagisa. “And, listen,” He whispered to them, “If you don’t really wanna play, I can ask Min-Jun if he wants to do something else while they do that. The three of us could chill in my room, if you want.” Nagisa nodded, and walked with Rudy to the kitchen. Rudy asked Min-Jun, “Hey, I have a few stuff in my room. Do you wanna come in?”

“Stuff? Like what?” Min-Jun replied, with a mouthful of chips. “You better not have some weird stuff in there.” It sounded a bit muffled, but Rudy could make out what he was saying.

“What do you mean?”

“Y’know that kid named Serena? I heard that she has a bunch of photos of this one dude in her room. It’s hella creepy.”

_He couldn’t be talking about **that** Serena, right? There’s no way,_ Rudy thought to himself.

Min-Jun huffed, “You better not turn out to be a stalker, too.”

“What...? That’s beyond just being a stalker. And I’m serious, there’s nothing weird in my room. The others are playing a game right now, and I don’t know how long they’ll be addicted to it.”

“Fine, fine, I’m coming. Let me finish these, at least.” He dug his hand into the bag, and hurried to finish the chips.

“Wait a minute…” Rudy grimaced, “How many bags did you take? I can barely see any left in there. There were originally five.”

“It didn’t seem like y’all were gonna take ‘em, so I did instead. I’m getting rid of them for you.”

“T-Those were supposed to be for the sleepover…” Rudy sighed, looking to where Nagisa originally was. 

_ Wait, where’d Nagisa go?  _

He figured that they went to his room already. Were they bored? Probably.

Min-Jun grumbled, “Well, you should’ve told me that before I went into the kitchen!”

“But you never told me that you’d eat the chips.”

“Y-You know I like chips!”

“Since when?”

“Remember that ‘End of the School Year Party?’ I was the only one who ate the chips! Either you didn’t know, or you just have a terrible memory!”

“Well, I didn’t know. And why are we still arguing about chips...?”

“You’re the one who started it.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry then. Do you wanna come, now?”

“It doesn’t sound like you mean it.”

“Wait, this isn’t even an argument… C’mon, drop the chips, Nagisa’s waiting in—“

“Oh, you’re blaming _me_ now?”

“I-I didn’t even say anything like that. And you’re acting weird. You’ve seemed kinda off all day. Are you sure everythings okay?”

“I told you, there’s nothing wrong.” Min-Jun tossed the bag into the trash can, and mumbled, “Why do you keep getting so worried over everything?”

“I just want you to have fun.” Rudy calmly stated, smiling at him. “So, let’s go and play some board games, or something. Is that fine, or...?”

Min-Jun scoffed, “Hah, and why board games? Those are boring. And I didn’t know you even played those.”

“I like playing them whenever I’m with my sis. They’re actually pretty fun, but nobody else here likes that sorta thing, so…”

Great, now Rudy was just making him feel bad. He tried to convince himself that Rudy was just trying to guilt trip him, but for the amount of time they’ve known each other, it would be cruel to think so.

“F-Fine,” He gave in, “I’ll play with y’all.” Rudy smiled softly to his reply, and walked towards the stairs, expecting Min-Jun to follow behind. 

“Thanks, that’s great.” They both walked upstairs to his room, and opened the door at their arrival. “Wait a minute, where’s Nagisa? I thought they were in here already.”

“Jeez, that guy literally goes everywhere. Y’know, I bet they went home,” Min-Jun groaned. He raised his eyebrow, “Hold up, dude, is Nagisa a guy, or not?”

“They actually haven’t said, but we probably shouldn’t assume things, that’d be a bit rude,” Rudy responded. “But still, I don’t think they went home.”

“Ugh, lemme guess. We’re gonna have to spend a whole entire hour looking for them, right? It’s gonna be some sorta quest too, right?”

“Why’d you bring up the ‘quest’ thing?”

“In all the shows I watch, someone always goes missing, and the characters have to look for ‘em.” 

_ Why am I telling him this? _

“I guess you’re a huge fan of mystery, then. That reminds me of what we were talking about earlier today... W-Wait, no, we need to find Nagisa.” They both left Rudy’s room, and walked throughout the hallway, continuing the search.

Min-Jun let out a sigh. _Jesus, I swear, everytime I come here, his house just gets larger._

To keep his mind off of the Myers’ riches, he bantered, hands behind his head, “Anywhere with water, that’s where they’ll be.” 

“Ah, that makes sense. They’re probably near the indoor pool area.”

“Yeah—Wait, I was kidding. You seriously think—“ Before Min-Jun could finish, Rudy already hurried down the stairs and rushed towards the indoor pool. The fact that he and Ruby were so rich, that they could literally buy their school, was unfair. 

“Hey, Nagisa? Are you here? We were about to… start.” Of course, as soon as Rudy opened the doors, he saw Nagisa sitting down, dipping their feet into the pool. 

“It’s cold,” They muttered, making small kicking movements with their feet. Min-Jun finally caught up to Rudy, and once he saw Nagisa, he grimaced. 

“Uh, what are you doing here?!” He asked, looking down at Nagisa.

“Mrs. Myers let me chill here. It feels great. It’s boring over there.”

“I can’t understand you…” 

“Do you wanna stay over here? Min-Jun and I were gonna play some board games. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.” Rudy questioned. 

“Hmm.” Nagisa continued to stare into the water, and moved their feet around, causing ripples to appear. In their eyes, it was a huge deal, somehow. They repeated the same action over and over, which slightly irritated Min-Jun. 

“Uhh…” Rudy nervously laughed, anticipating a proper reply. No response. It got to a point where Min-Jun couldn’t take it anymore, and approached Nagisa, taking a deep breath.

“Hey, are you even listening to us?” He kneeled down to Nagisa’s level, and tapped their shoulder. No response. Words couldn’t describe his frustration. “Hey, are you coming with us or not?!” No response. “P-Please, just say something already, dammit!”

“Okay. You asked nicely.” Nagisa got up, and turned around to face Min-Jun. You could tell they tried to crack a smile, but they weren’t quite there yet.

“W-What does asking nicely have to do with anything?” Min-Jun got up as well, and pointed to the doors. “Whatever, let’s just go and—“

“Ah.”

Nagisa slipped, and grabbed ahold of Min-Jun’s arm to keep their ground, but it was too late. They ended up falling into the water with a big splash, pulling Min-Jun down with them.

*****

The trio were sitting down in Rudy’s room, ready to finally start playing the board game.

“Sorry,” Nagisa apologized.

“Yeah, sure,” Min-Jun grumbled, hugging his knees to his chest.

“Do you guys want to start now?” Rudy asked, pulling the board game out from his shelf.

Min-Jun sighed, “Let’s just get this over—“ He was interrupted by the sight of Rudy’s bedsheets. “You… What the hell is that?” He pointed at them in disdain.

“N-Nothing. It's just normal,” Rudy stuttered, playing with his hair.

“You’re lying. That design is… strange.”

Nagisa looked underneath the bed and pointed towards it. “There’s books underneath.” 

“I’m telling you, it’s n-nothing! It’s just a bunch of stuff I was gonna give to you all. T-They’re… gifts...?” Rudy blocked Nagisa’s view, but Min-Jun managed to quickly grab one of the books before Rudy could notice.

Min-Jun bore a smirk. “It’s a hot guy.”

“Give me that!” Rudy snatched the book from Min-Jun and put it back where it was. “We’re supposed to be playing this anyway…” Min-Jun and Nagisa backed away, as Rudy reached towards the board game and unpacked it from its box. 

“We’re playing ‘Mr. Bacon's Big Adventure..?’ What the heck is that?” Min-Jun grimaced.

“Ruby chose it, alright? I didn’t know that it’d be this surreal.”

“Y-You’ve played this trash before? How much time did you waste, dude?”

“No, it just looks like we’ve played it.”

“...”

“Yes, we bought it used for two bucks.” 

“Something’s wrong with you.” Min-Jun rolled his eyes and turned to face Nagisa, “Hey, do you actually wanna play this?” No response. “I’ll take that as a no.” 

“Well, if you don’t want to play this one, then I doubt you’ll like the other ones we have.”

“You’re freaking rich, why can’t you guys buy high-quality board games?”

“My dad says it’s a waste of money.”

“Then what do you mainly use your money for?”

“Clothes, groceries, our television, video games, school programs, and a bunch of other things. Dad doesn’t tell us everything.”

“What do you mean by ‘school programs?’ You’re already in school.”

“Ruby and I get extra practice.”

“Of course you guys do,” Min-Jun mumbled. “Does anyone else do that?”

“Yes, Hyun-a is enrolled in the same program.”

“O-Oh, _her_? I actually didn't know that…” His mutter faded off, as he looked downwards. 

“Hm?”

_ Yeah, something’s up… but what? Have I been too pushy? I really should’ve considered this terrible game choice, he would’ve been better hanging out with the others. This is my fault. _

He then had a memory of what happened earlier. 

_ He was being a bit off, but now, he seemed really upset when I mentioned the school program. Is he worried about his grades or something? _

“Hey, we could just do something else. I’m sorry for bothering you with this.” Rudy put the game back in its box. “I bet you want to watch some TV, or play with the others, right?”

“Stop apologizing for literally everything.” Min-Jun stood up. “It’s fine, let’s just chill with the others. They’re probably done with that stupid video game by now.” He looked at Nagisa and asked, “You coming?” They nodded in response, and got up as well. Once Rudy was done putting the board game away, he followed them into the hallway. 

“I wasted your time, didn’t I?” Rudy lamented under his breath. “We basically spent almost an hour doing nothing, and it took awhile for you guys to dry off.” 

“There’s no need to be so dramatic. It’s fine. Plus, it’s still just the evening. We have plenty of time to do stuff.” To some, Min-Jun would’ve come off as being annoyed to some degree, but Rudy took this as Min-Jun trying to reassure him. And he happily accepted it.

The trio walked down the stairs, and arrived at the living room. The first thing they noticed was shouting. There was a lot of shouting. The other three had similarly high-pitched voices, yet were easy to distinguish, but they couldn’t even make out who was who. 

“I told you that I’d be the one to—Wait, why isn’t the A button working? It isn’t working! I’m gonna die!”

“Huh? That’s weird, it was working fine the last time Rudy and I played! Lisa, can you pause the game or something? You took Dennis’ remote earlier—“

“NO! I lost all my stuff again! Ruby, this is your fault!”

It was exactly what Rudy expected. Chaos. That game would be the death of those three, and he was sure of that. 

“Alright, they aren’t done. Now I’m just scared of them,” Min-Jun whispered. “I think I just wanna watch.”

“You know, that’d probably be a very good idea…” Rudy replied, with fear. “I hope Ruby can survive this.”

Nagisa gave them a look of confusion, and wandered off to the kitchen. To Min-Jun’s knowledge, they were probably either getting a snack, or going back to the pool. But all that Rudy could think about was why Min-Jun seemed upset earlier.

This wasn’t new at all, for Rudy always tends to worry a bit too much. Even if that annoyed Min-Jun, it’s not like he can live a day knowing that his friend could be depressed about something. He’s good at spotting if someone’s in a bad mood, but he just can’t tell why. He feels like he can’t help, and that bothers him. 

*****

The six club members sat on the carpet, attempting to settle down.

“Y’all seriously played that game for three whole hours?! You guys are crazy!” Min-Jun sneered. 

Nevermind.

“But it was all worth it. I beat the game before they did!” Lisa boasted in triumph.

“That was pretty fun! At least I finished second! Right, Ruby?” Dennis faced Ruby, holding his hand up in the air. 

“Yeah, I’m glad you guys enjoyed it.” She hesitantly pushed Dennis’ hand, performing a half-hearted high-five. The reality was that she got last place for the very first time. If Rudy were playing, she would’ve been happy about her loss.

“So, what are we going to do now? It’s almost nine. Do you have any ideas, Lisa?” Rudy inquired.

Lisa crossed her arms. “Of course I do! Just leave it to me for the best sleepover ideas in the world!”

“I’m intrigued.”

Lisa excitedly declared, “So, yeah, we’re all gonna watch a scary movie! It has to be a low-budget one, and it can’t be a movie that’s been in theaters! Those are fun, right?” 

“Fun?” Min-Jun muttered, “Only if we’re actually eager to watch a piece of trash.”

“I think we should eat first, though. We haven’t had dinner yet, and it’s already past eight. We can watch the movie after that!” Ruby suggested, smiling widely. “Hey, bro, I’m gonna ask Mamá if we have some pizza!”

“You had pizza yesterday,” Rudy sighed, “Do you really wanna have that again?”

“Of course I do! Pizza is, like, the best thing ever! But if you don’t want that, then we could eat some tostones or mofongo.”

“We had tostones and pasteles for lunch earlier today.”

“Then, alcapurrias?”

“What’s with all this spanish food? And, I haven’t even heard of ‘ _alcapurrias_.’” Min-Jun questioned, faking a spanish accent.

Ruby replied, “Oh, they’re kinda like hotdogs. Or was it corndogs...?”

“Hey, dude, does your family make croquettes?” Dennis tapped Rudy’s shoulder, “They’re delicious!”

“I haven’t tried any of those before. I heard that they’re good, though. Hmm.” Rudy beamed, “We could ask my Mom to make some. Does that sound good, guys?”

“Yeah, that sounds good!” Ruby exclaimed.

“Yup! Ah, I can’t wait!” Lisa blurted, “I hope they don’t taste bad!” 

Nagisa nodded along and looked at Min-Jun. He assumed that they were asking if he was on-board, and sighed. “I guess. It better not take too long, though. I’m starving.”

“I didn’t think that everyone would be up for eating croquettes, this is the best! Thanks, dude.” Dennis tightly hugged Rudy, barely giving him any room to breathe.

He managed to let out a “You’re welcome,” And motioned Dennis to get off of him a few seconds later. “Mamá hasn’t made any croquettes before, though, so they might not be perfect.”

“Why don’t you try to make them?” Ruby suggested. “You’ve gotten really good at cooking, lately! Besides, Mamá is busy with Papa or something, so I bet you could make ‘em on your own!”

“I don’t know about that…”

“We can help you out and stuff!” 

“Fine. If things get outta hand, we’ll have to ask her to supervise us, though.”

“Who needs supervision? We can do whatever we want! Let’s do this, already!” Dennis hollered, and impatiently ran to the kitchen. Min-Jun groaned, but followed the others once they made their way there. 

*****

“Man, that tasted so good! You should make these more often, dude!” Dennis put his hand around Rudy’s shoulder, grinning widely.

“Yeah, but didn’t they taste a bit burnt…?” Rudy murmured, “My mom would’ve cooked them better, probably.” 

“You can blame Lisa for that,” Min-Jun remarked.

“Hey, I did my best!” Lisa crossed her arms and pouted.

“Well, even if we had to call Mom over to help anyway, my eyes have been opened. I feel… enlightened,” Ruby bantered. “Dennis, what other food did you like to eat back in the Netherlands?”

“Hmm,” He thought, “Other than eating croquettes? Not too much, actually! Maybe some bitterballen, too.” 

“Heh,” Min-Jun snickered, “Your countries have some weird food names.” 

“Yeah, and over in Korea, you have haemultang. Like that's any better-sounding,” Lisa teased, giggling. 

“Hey, at least it tastes good. The people who made it back then did a great job.”

“...Are you saying that I did poorly with the croquettes?”

“Maybe I am. Try getting some lessons from Rudy, maybe.”

“How rude.” She quickly changed the subject, “Anyway, let’s watch the movie now! I’m gonna choose!” She hopped onto the couch, and grabbed the remote, turning the TV on. “Let’s see…”

“We just ate,” Rudy urged, “If you keep jumping around, you’re gonna—“

“I’m totally fine!” She continued to browse through the list of movies, as the others made their way to the living room. Once again, Nagisa sat down on the floor, barely being visible to them, while Min-Jun just stood next to the couch.

“Are you gonna sit?” Rudy asked, scooting over slightly, “We have some more room here.”

“I’m good,” Min-Jun replied, “I’m not really in the mood to watch a movie anyway.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I wanna use my phone for a bit. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay then. You’re going to be missing out on a low-quality horror movie.” Rudy attempted to make him laugh, but it was to no avail. “But…” He looked at Lisa, “Can it not be too scary?”

“What do you mean? This is supposed to be a horror movie! Are you too scared to watch it, ‘cuz of that?” Lisa shrugged. “I bet it isn’t even that bad.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

Two hours later…

“That was CRUEL! Why did you make me watch that? Now I’m gonna have nightmares! Is this based on stuff that happened in real life? Does that creepy guy exist? Are we all going to—“

“Rudy, everything’s fine, it’s not real!” Dennis soothed. “But yeah, you are gonna have nightmares, though! I wonder how bad they’ll be…”

“That doesn’t make anything better! And that’s creepy!”

“They should’ve boosted the rating… Even I’m spooked.” Ruby shuddered. “Lisa, can you check the reviews next time, before we watch another horror movie?”

“You guys are no fun.” Lisa avoided the question by asking, “Nagisa, what did you think of the movie?” No response. “Did it scare you?” No response. “Did you even watch the movie?!”

“What?” Nagisa looked upwards. Well, that answered Lisa’s question, in a way.

“The movie that was on the—Okay, nevermind. It’s almost twelve, so what should we do now?” 

Ruby yawned, “I wanna go to sleep.” 

“What? But why? Didn’t we all say that we were gonna stay up all night?!”

“I can’t. As much as I hate to say this, I’m really sleepy, ‘cuz I woke up earlier today. I mean, we could just do some other stuff in the morning!”

Dennis excitedly chimed in, “I agree! The earlier we fall asleep, the earlier we can wake up! Oh my god, how about a pillow fight at six in the morning?!” 

“But what about the candy? And the sugar? And the scary stories at 3:00AM?” Lisa sighed, “Darn it, I knew we should’ve eaten that candy earlier, Rudy!” 

“Sorry, but everyone wants to go to bed. What do you think, Nagisa?” He questioned, slightly bending over to get a look at Nagisa’s face, to see if they were tired. But instead, they looked beyond confused.

“...What’s a ‘corndog?’” They asked with an impassive expression. 

“What?”

“A dog?”

“What, n-no, it’s a type of food. They’re like hotdogs, but with cornbread.”

“Interesting…” 

“I could try making some for the club, if you want.”

“Yes, please.”

“Anyway, let’s just go to sleep.” Rudy turned around, “C’mon, Lisa. I’m sorry.”

“Fine. At least we’re getting up early. But, I always wake up at, like, nine, so you guys better wake me up!” Lisa hopped off the couch, and grabbed Ruby’s hand. “Onwards!” They both ran up the stairs, as Nagisa followed behind, walking slowly. But Rudy was too busy thinking of other things.

Min-Jun hasn’t come back yet. He’s probably been in my room this whole time. I’m fine with him missing the movie, but is he alright? Ugh, I should probably just quit worrying, but…

Before he got up, Dennis noticed that Rudy was still sitting on the couch beside him, and interrupted his train of thought by whispering, “Hey. I’m a murderer.” 

Rudy slowly turned around to find Dennis invading his personal space (again) and baring a smug expression. He tried to say something, but all that came out was a squeak. Suddenly, fear struck his face.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, dude,” Dennis chuckled, “But for real, what’s the matter? Are you being paranoid about the world ending again?”

“That’s not it,” He mumbled, “And I’m not being paranoid over anything right now. It’s just… Min-Jun.”

“Oh, is there something wrong with him? Did y’all get into a fight or something? Oh, I got it! You guys kinda have that ‘rivals into friends’ sorta deal going on, right?”

“No, that’s not it at all. He’s just been acting… weird. I’m a little worried about him.”

“Well, just confront him about it or something. It makes sense that you’d be able to tell. Y’all have been rivals for years, after all!”

“We aren’t ‘rivals.’ But, maybe I should… I don’t wanna bother him, though.”

“Just go ahead! It’s not like the world is gonna end! But then again, I’m not good at giving advice, so for all I know, he’ll probably get annoyed. But whatever, right?”

“I don’t know…”

“Do what you do best, dude. I’m goin’ upstairs now, don’t mind if I do.” Dennis walked up to Rudy’s room along with the others, leaving Rudy by himself in the dimly-lit living room. 

He continued to fidget, and eventually laid down on the couch, trying to find a comfortable position. Once he found one, he sighed, and closed his eyes. He felt bad for his parents, since he could hear Lisa and Dennis all the way from the living room. A few minutes later, it suddenly got quiet. Rudy assumed that they already changed into their pajamas and fell asleep quite quickly. But he still didn’t know if Min-Jun was there or not.

He then heard footsteps approaching the couch, which he thought were his mother’s. But to his surprise, when we sat up and took a look, it was Min-Jun. 

“Hey, what’s up? I didn’t think that you were still awake,” Rudy asked out of curiosity. He wasn’t expecting this at all, which made him a bit anxious.

“And why does that matter to you? You weirdo.” Min-Jun’s voice came out a bit weaker than he expected. “I’m just not sleepy, that’s all.”

“Ah, me neither. Everyone else is already sleeping, though. We should probably head over there.”

“I don’t wanna. Can I just be by myself, or something?”

“Oh, alright.” Rudy felt the sudden urge to ask, “But why?” To not come off as nosy, he added, “Y-You don’t have to answer, I’m sorry.” 

Min-Jun paused for a moment, and sighed. Rudy scooted over to the side, and gave Min-Jun some room to sit down. He sat beside Rudy, and faced the other way.

“Why should I tell you?” Min-Jun spat, his voice cracking. “It’s not like you can do anything to help.”

“But I want to try. I don’t like seeing any of my friends upset like this.”

“Yeah, especially everyone else, but not me, you mean. Not after what happened.” 

“Is this about what happened a few years ago? It’s perfectly fine, I wasn’t even mad at you. You suddenly just started avoiding me, so I figured that there was something wrong with me…”

“So, it’s always my fault, huh? Is that the problem?”

“N-No, that’s not what I meant! I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t annoying you or anything… Which is what I’ve been wondering, lately.”

“Well, that wasn’t the problem! You’re annoying me right now by asking that a million times! Why do you have to be so…” Min-Jun noticed that tears started falling from his eyes, and sniffled. “Damn it…” His breath hitched, as he tried to wipe the tears away with his hand. “This is so stupid.”

Rudy gathered the courage to ask, “Hey… did something happen at home? Does it have to do with your dad?”

“No, this has nothing to do with Dad.” He took a deep breath, and sniffled once more. “It’s literally everything. I don’t get it…” 

“What do you mean, ‘everything?’”

“I mean… Why is this only happening to me?” His voice sounded so broken, it was hard to even make out what he was saying. “I just wanna live normally, like everybody else. I don’t even know what to do. Everything sucks without Mom here.”

“Oh… she’s still missing.” Rudy looked down in melancholy, and had a memory of seeing the announcement of her disappearance on the news.

“It’s been years, and she still isn’t home. Every single day, I expect to see Mom, but she isn’t there. She liked playing games with me all the time, so I’ve been used to going in my room after school everyday, just to see her.”

“Have there been any updates for her search, yet?”

“Not a single one. I feel like I’ll never be able to see her again. She’s the only one who ever understood me.”

“Oh…”

Rudy didn’t know what to say, and he felt terrible. He’s never dealt with something like this himself. A few years ago, he thought that Min-Jun’s mother would be found in a few days, and that her disappearance wasn’t a huge deal, but that wasn’t the case. 

“Listen...” Min-Jun whimpered, “If you really wanna help me, then can you answer my question?”

“Of course. Go ahead.”

“Good. You better pay attention, alright?” 

Rudy nodded. “I will.”

“You’re not gonna tell anyone else?”

“I won’t.”

“You won’t go off about it for the rest of the summer?”

“I won’t, I promise.”

“...Are you sure?”

“Min-Jun… don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do! This is just standard procedure! I’m making sure!”

“You can tell me.”

“Yeah, yeah...” Min-Jun sighed and continued to wipe his tears. He took a deep breath, and tried to find the right words to explain. “You see… I can barely do anything fun at home, and my family is more strict with me than anyone else. I can’t talk about what I like at all, and I’m being forced to leave the club.”

“By who?”

“Guess who.”

“...Hyun-a?”

“Yeah. All this... bad stuff keeps happening to me at the same time, I...” He began to burst into tears, and sobbed. “Things are getting worse. I don’t wanna leave y’all. I miss Mom.” 

“You haven’t talked about your mom in a while. How long have you been keeping this to yourself?”

“A couple of years…”

“You can tell us anything, y’know. We can help you with anything you need, alright? I know, things are really bad right now, but everyone else is doing their best, right? We‘re gonna stick together.”

“How do you know that? I know that… that we’re gonna hate each other, and never see each other again. That’s how it is for everyone, and that’s how much our school sucks.”

“You know, I’ve given that some thought, too. Everyone is going to get into fights eventually, and people sometimes leave their friends behind. But for us, I don’t think that. I don’t want things to be like that. I think that if we keep believing that, then maybe things’ll be fine.”

“How can you be so sure?” Min-Jun averted his eyes. “I feel you, but… It’s gonna be my fault.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Because that’s what I caused back then. And it was only because of my Mom. But I decided to be stupid, and made you feel terrible about yourself, by never talking to you again. It was all my fault… and I still haven’t changed.”

“But we’re talking right now, aren’t we? I didn’t even expect this to happen, but we’re here. Aren’t you glad?”

“Quit asking me so many questions, I don’t know everything…” Min-Jun paused, “But yeah... You’re right. I’m glad you’re here, but still. What if I ruin everything again?”

“I’m sure you won’t. But… you’ve been keeping this to yourself for a really long time. You really haven’t told anyone else?”

“N-No, not really. Only Aera, but she’s younger than me, so I feel like it’d be too hard for her to understand or something.”

“I get that. I’m glad you decided to tell me, though.”

“Yeah. And, I know already, I keep saying weird things.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, I know that I’m annoying. Just admit it already.”

“You’re not annoying. You’re… kinda passive-aggressive, but not annoying.”

“Ugh, big words.”

“...It’s alright. I haven’t been able to help that much, ‘cuz I don’t know everything of course, but I wanna answer your question.”

“Okay.” Min-Jun sighed, and took another deep breath. His tears were almost gone, and he bore a sincere expression on his face. “So… no matter what, you guys will be there for me, right? No stupid dramatic crap like this again, okay?”

“We’re with you all the way. That’s what this club is for. We wanna help each other. I can’t promise you on the ‘no drama’ thing, though.”

“Yeah, whatever, that’s fine I guess. Tell Dennis to not do something that’ll get him in jail.”

“Well, ‘The life of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.’”

“Jesus, since when did you get so philosophical?” Min-Jun chuckled, smiling softly.

“That’s Thomas Hobbes. Hyun-a told—“ Rudy interrupted himself and stammered, “U-Uh...”

“What?”

“Ignore what I just said, nevermind. Keep going.”

“Well, thanks, Rudy. I feel a bit better now. Don’t expect me to be happy all the time, though.” 

“I know, I know. And of course, anytime. Let’s go to bed. Do you want to sleep on the couch, or...?”

“Yeah, sure. You’ll have to sleep on the floor, though. I bet the carpet will feel nice.”

“I’ll do that, then. I don’t mind.”

“W-Wait, I was joking… Y’know what, nevermind. C’mon, give me some space.” 

Rudy got off the couch, and grabbed a blanket for Min-Jun to use. He obtained a sleeping bag that was lying on the floor and moved it a bit closer to the couch. Laying his head down, and finally getting ready to fall asleep, Rudy shut his eyes. 


	13. Amaryllis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy and Lisa become closer than ever before.

Since Rudy was ‘worthy,’ he was invited to Lisa’s house for an unknown reason, but Lisa would never give this reason to anyone, so that was probably why nobody really wanted to go there just to do nothing, in spite of her lofty room and the house’s overall size.

Lisa was only brushing her hair while Rudy was waiting for her in the room, but—

“Rudy, listen!” Lisa exclaimed, dramatically bursting into the room, “I’m growing hair on my chin! MY CHIN!” 

Rudy questioned with grimace, “What…?” 

“I said…” She took a deep breath. “I'M GROWING HAIR ON MY CHIN!”

“I heard you the first time, but why’re you upset?”

Lisa gasped, as if she were offended. “What do you mean by ‘why’re you so upset,’ huh?! This is a huge problem! The biggest problem I’ll ever face in my entire life! Isn’t that a huge deal? Why am I growing a freaking beard?!”

“It’s barely even noticeable. Plus, it’s normal.”

“Normal?” She bursted into hysterical laughter, and lowered her tone. “No no no, not normal. This isn’t supposed to be happening to a cute girl! Answer me, why am I growing a beard?”

“You can shave it—“

“NO! There’s no way I’m shaving this! Do you want me to get hurt, or something? That’s impossible, I can’t do that!” In realization, she whimpered, “Oh my god, can  _ babies  _ grow beards?!”

“It might be possible. Wait…” Rudy’s eyes widened. “Did I have a beard?”

Lisa put her hand over her mouth and mumbled, “Just like an old man…!”

“Oh god, what if I did? That’s creepy! Why hasn’t Mama told me anything?! I’m scared now!”

“It’s true, anything  _ is  _ possible… But I think I’m gonna get sick…”

Rudy got up from his chair and backed away from Lisa. “No, don’t get sick! That’s a bad thing! What if it’s a virus, and it spreads, and then we’re all—“

“Everyone else is gonna grow one…! Rudy, stay here! You’re the source!” She pointed towards him and slowly walked away. “I’m gonna go! I can’t stay here anymore!”

“How do you know if I’m the source?”

“I just know, okay?! Ask Nagisa, they’d say I’m right! So stay back, my beard is gonna get worse! I’m gonna look like an old man, like you!”

“Why do people keep calling me an old man…?”

“You have white hair! That’s surreal! What if it spreads to me? What’ll my mom say? What’ll everyone else think? Oh god, they’re gonna think I’m a weirdo!”

“That’s really offensive to old people and albinos…” Rudy mumbled under his breath.

“It’s the same for Ruby, too! Even Dennis said she looked like a grandma! It’s your whole entire family!” She dramatically gasped, “Does  _ everyone  _ have white hair in Puerto Rico?!”

“What about the kids with unnatural hair colors in this school?”

“What’re you talking about? They’re totally natural! White is the unnatural one.”

“No…” He imagined the appearances of a few students in the school, specifically Kaitlyn and Lisa. “You can’t be born with purple, green, pink, or blue hair…”

“Yeah you can! I was born with pink hair! Is this supposed to be a joke? ‘Cuz I don’t get it!”

“Nevermind, I’m just confused about everything right now…” He shuddered, “Now I’m actually scared.”

“Well, I mean, it’s not like the apocalypse is gonna happen!” Lisa blinked and blurted, “No, wait, it’s  _ going to _ if I stay here! Back away!”

“That again…”

Before Lisa could exit the room, she stopped in her tracks and faced Rudy. “Wait, before I go! I needed to tell ya something else!”

“You’re gonna drop the virus thing…? I’m still on edge right now, actually…” He murmured.

“No, Rudy, listen! I think there’s something wrong with my piano!” 

He raised his eyebrow. “What do you mean? Is there something wrong with the keys?”

“No, I mean, it sounds terrible! I tried playing it all night, and it doesn’t sound the way I want it to!”

“I don’t know too much about pianos, but… How long have you been practicing?”

“For a few days. Aren’t I supposed to be perfecting it by now? Because it still doesn’t sound right!” She pouted, walking a bit closer to Rudy. 

“Well… Maybe you just need to practice more. You’re probably hitting the wrong keys…”

“Hah, I’m totally not. I asked Nagisa yesterday, and they said that I was playing it perfectly,” She boasted, hands on her hips.

“Oh, really…?” His eyes widened with interest. “I actually haven’t heard you play before. I wanna hear.”

“That can totally happen!” Lisa led Rudy towards her grand piano and sat in the chair. 

“So, what song are you gonna play?”

“Hmm,” She crossed her arms, “That’s a pretty tough decision.”

“Oh, I thought that you already decided.”

“Of course not! When choosing what to play on a piano, you have to  _ feel  _ the music.”

“What…?”

“I know, it sounds weird, and it’s really hard to explain.” She faked a british accent, and put her hands on her hips. “But it’s a skill that only the best piano players have. You feel like you’re  _ in the groove…  _ And you’re fully engaged in the rhythm. It’s almost like you’re emotionally—“

“You searched that up on the internet, didn’t you?” He mentally facepalmed.

“Yeah, I did.”

“Thought so. And…” He insisted, “I came to hear you play, so play,  _ please _ .”

“Okay, I’m doing it.” Lisa sat down on a chair, and put her hands on the piano’s keys. She tried to think of a song to play, as a multitude of thoughts came flying into her head. Yet, she couldn’t come up with anything. 

“Can you play ‘The Well-Tempered Clavier?’” Rudy suggested.

Lisa cringed. “...What the heck is that? Was that composed by some american old man or something?”

“I wouldn’t call him old. He was very famous, too.”

“Lemme guess, he’s from the olden times? Did he have one of those white and fake hair-do’s like George Washington?”

“Well, he does…” Rudy mumbled to himself, “But why…?“

Lisa stared at Rudy’s hair, and pointed to it, gasping dramatically. “Oh my god, it’s you! Dennis is right, you really do look like a—“

“Enough with the grandpa jokes. Play a song.”

“...Fine. I’ll play ‘Für Elise.’”

“That’s a nice one. I play it on my guitar sometimes.”

“Really? Hold up, you play the guitar?!”

“Yeah, I do. I have an acoustic one at home, but—“

“Ahh, I’ve always wanted to play the guitar…” She squealed, “I heard that they’re pretty hard to play, but I bet that I could do it with ease, right? It shouldn’t be  _ that  _ hard.”

“It becomes easier to learn once you get the hang of it.” He grumbled, “And speaking of practicing…”

“Okay, okay! I’m playing now!” As she poked at the keys, Lisa slightly slouched in her chair. Once the notes hit Rudy’s ears, he felt melancholic. “Well, how was that? Pretty awesome, right?”

“It wasn’t that bad, but…”

“But what? Spill the beans!”

“Are you trying to convey a…” He tried to find the right words. “... _ Sad _ kind of tone?”

“What are you talking about?” Lisa tilted her head in confusion.

“I mean, that's what I felt. Is that what you want people to feel?”

She giggled, “Of course not, that’s ridiculous. The others didn’t say that.”

“‘The others?’”

“...Nagisa.”

“I see. Well, that’s just my opinion... Your piano-playing probably  _ is _ really good, and maybe I'm just wrong, though.” Rudy sighed, frowning.

_ Wait, I can’t stay negative like this. I need to think like a leader would and be positive. Uh, a leader… a leader... _

“Well, I don’t think you’re plain out _wrong,”_ Lisa shrugged. “Can you just give me some feedback? I know that I’m pretty good already, but if I wanna compete in a competition or talent show, I have to do better!”

“...A competition? A talent show?”

“Yup!” Lisa piped. “It’s common sense to participate in one of those, isn’t it? I wanna show off my super awesome skills! Ah, maybe I’ll become famous…”

“It takes time. I’m sure you’ll be able to do it, though.”

“Yeah, I know! The sooner I start, the better! A few weeks ago, Nagisa helped me out with writing some lyrics, so right now, I’m just tryna make the song.” She crossed her arms. “I’ll think of a melody eventually…”

“I can help with that,” Rudy assured, grinning at Lisa.

“For real?”

“I have a few song melodies that I’ve scratched. I’ll play them on my guitar.”

“That’s awesome! Thanks!” Lisa exclaimed with interest. “Can you, like, send them to me later today, as an audio file?”

“I can do that. If I don’t have to do stuff at home, I can send it earlier.” He mumbled, “I hope I don’t end up disappointing you…”

“What do you mean? I’m sure it’ll be great!”

“The thing is, I haven’t played on my guitar in a while. It’s been months, actually.” He averted his eyes, attempting to avoid eye-contact with Lisa.

“But why? I thought you loved doing that.”

“It isn’t as fun for me as it used to be.” He smiled softly. “But I’ll probably get over that soon. I wanna help you.”

“If you say so!”

“By the way… who’s your inspiration?” He inquired.

“My inspiration? Well, my favorite artist, obviously! They’re called Berryz Kobo. I’ve been into them for a few years!”

He looked towards her and blinked. “Wait, you listen to them…?”

“Of course I do! They’re like goddesses!”

His eyes lit up at her response. “Are you by any chance a fan of J-Pop…?” 

“Yeah, why? Is that a huge deal?”

At that moment, something woke inside Rudy.

“I can’t believe it…” He sighed out of relief, unable to contain his excitement. 

Lisa’s eyes widened, “Wait, did I say something wrong? You good? Is that a bad thing?!”

“No, it’s perfect. Words can’t express how happy I am right now…”

“I’m glad you’re happy, then.”

“Any others that you’re a fan of?”

“A whole ton! I’d hafta write down an entire list of my favorite groups! There’s so many… But, lately, a lot of ‘em have been disbanding, so I’ll have to cut my list down by a bit, but still!”

“I’ve finally found someone…” He could’ve sworn he shed a tear in that moment. 

“Have you seriously not told anyone about this kinda stuff? I could go on about it for hours! Plus, I thought it was common!”

He murmured, “No, it really isn’t… I feel like I can’t talk about it. Isn’t it weird?”

“I mean, I don’t think so. I thought lots of people would be into it. Plus, you’re popular, so it shouldn’t be a problem, right?” 

“I don’t know…” Rudy shrugged. “There are a few people who hate me, and I don’t even know why.”

“Maybe it’s ‘cuz you’re popular, and they’re just jealous.”

“That’s probably it.” He groaned and furrowed his eyebrows. “Seriously, I can’t last a day without someone asking me for help with their work in class. They always go to me.”

“I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Doesn’t that mean they trust you?”

“I guess, but I’m also surrounded constantly, when class ends. People have said that I’m nice, but what else is good about me…?”

“Why’re you being so modest?” Lisa smiled and reassured him, “I think you’re really cool!”

“I don’t know… but, thank you.”

“Y’know, back in Japan, I wasn’t liked by too many people, and I still don’t get it, even now! Aren’t I the cutest girl you’ve ever seen? Look at me, what do you think when you look at me? Tell me!”

He mumbled, “Uh… sure, yeah.”

“Exactly! They just didn’t get it. I had Nagisa and a few other friends, but that was about it. I deserved so much better than that… Those stupid nicknames.”

“‘Stupid nicknames?’ What did they call you?”

“Bad stuff. I don’t wanna go into specifics… but, hey, at least they’re gone now. In more ways than one…!”

“Did they…?”

“Almost everyone in the entire area. But, hey, at least I don’t hafta get called those stupid nicknames anymore!”

Rudy raised his eyebrow and asked, “How young were you? This was in elementary, right?”

“Yeah, I was in 4th grade. Nagisa was a grade higher than me though, but we were still able to see each other a lot.”

“Man, how do they even know those words…?”

“Well, since I was a ‘birdbrain,’ I didn’t know what they meant. And it’s funny, ‘cuz I’m better at speaking English than Nagisa.” Lisa chuckled, not making much of it.

“I can tell. So, I’m guessing that you started to learn it earlier, but what about Nagisa?”

She subtly replied, “It turns out that they started to try and learn English earlier than me. From the start, we knew that we wanted to live… somewhere. Something like that used to be our dream, but I kinda forgot. But since we ended up moving here abruptly, we had to try even harder to learn English together as much as possible before going to school.”

“That’s nice. You two don’t look that close anymore, but are they a fan of music?”

“I mean, kinda. They’re really obsessed with jazz, for some reason. It sounds… weird to me, though.”

“Hah, not a lot of people like jazz.” He whispered, “Hey, speaking of Nagisa, what's their…?”

“Oh, I actually don't know.” Lisa shrugged. “They either don’t know what the term is in English, or they just still don’t know.”

“Do you guys speak to each other in Japanese sometimes?”

“Yeah, only if we really need to! Nagisa still has a hard time with certain words. I do too, but I’ve basically got my sentence structure down.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m terrible at writing in English though…”

“Isn’t it hard to write lyrics, then?”

“I never said that the lyrics were gonna be in English.”

“Oh, alright.”

A comfortable silence fell upon them. Lisa then decided to press random keys on the piano, attempting to come up with a song melody. Rudy watched for the next few minutes, as she continued.

Rudy wondered,  _ I think I might know why Lisa is trying so hard to be popular… The name-calling really got to her. I hope she’s doing okay.  _

“So, whaddya think?” Lisa asked, turning over to him.

“What…?”

“The melody I just played. Does it sound good?”

He stammered out, “O-Oh, yeah, it does. Better than what I could come up with.”

“Awesome! I’m getting so much better at this!” Her eyes slowly started to widen in realization. “Hold up…”

“What’s wrong? Do your fingers—“

“What time is it, Rudy?! Tell me now!” She demanded.

Rudy looked up at the clock, and replied, “It’s already evening. Do you—“

“Ah, you’re right! My mom said that we’re gonna have someone over! You gotta go!”

“A friend, or relative?”

“A relative, and he’s one of my cousins. I hate him, though… he keeps making fun of me.”

“Well, at least he still looks out for you.”

“Kinda… I dunno. But, I gotta pretend like I’m happy to see him, or else Papa is gonna scold me, and it’ll be the end of the world!” Lisa clumsily got up from her seat, and almost tripped. 

Rudy followed suit and stood up as well. “I guess I’ll go, then.”

“Uh, yeah! Thanks for helping me, Rudy!”

“Anytime. I hope things go well with your cousin.”

“I doubt that, ‘cuz he sucks, but thanks anyway~!”

Rudy left Lisa’s room, walking outside of the house through the front door and making his way home, lost in thought. 

_ Her cousin, huh? She said that he’s been making fun of her… Has he been calling her names, too? The same ones those kids called her? I hope not… I thought family was supposed to get along better. I’m really lucky to have Ruby, aren’t I? _

He frowned and let out a sigh. 

_ Well, here she is doing all this stuff for me. I might as well work harder to do the same.  _

His frown slowly turned into a grin, as his determination grew.

*****

Serena calmly walked to her room, and slowly opened the door, being greeted by absolute chaos. Shouting could be heard from left and right, and the room was a mess. As she stared, the voices continued to yell, piercing her ears, and testing her patience.

“Hey, you stole that from me yesterday! Give it back!”

“It’s not even yours! Finders keepers!”

“Did you guys even listen to what I said earlier? Ugh, this is pointless.”

“What’s pointless? I can’t hear you! What happened? What happened?!”

Serena cleared her throat, attempting to grab their attention. But it was no use. She tried a second time, and yet again, nothing changed. 

“Listen.” She finally demanded, loud and clear. “I have something to say.”

“Something to say? Well, tell Ali to give me my doll back! I bought it myself!”

“It isn’t yours, Nita. I told you, I found it lying somewhere yesterday!  _ It isn’t yours!” _

Serena sighed. “Please calm down. I need to talk about The Ghost.”

Ray inquired, “‘The Ghost?’ You mean The Weirdo, right? What about them?”

“Rudy hasn’t made it apparent, but…” Serena closed her eyes, awaiting the other’s response.

“Ohh, I get it! Jeez, I can’t believe it took so long to figure that out…” Ali grumbled.

Nita scoffed, “Of course it did, he never talks about them. And it’s not like  _ we  _ want to anytime soon, either!”

Serena glanced at her sincerely. “You’ll have to, though.” 

“Wait, what? How come?! That’s stupid! Why would we talk to them? We’re gonna get our butts kicked!”

“I have a plan. I’ll invite Yuuki over when school starts.”

“But—“

“Trust me. We’re going to be nice, and invite them to join. So don’t be stupid, Reese.”

“Alrighty!” Reese piped, “Man, I bet this person is really nice!”

Ray frustratingly scolded, “They’re not nice, you noob. Haven’t you heard what’s been going around? Have you been living under a rock?” 

“Maybe, I dunno. But, Serena must really like this person if she wants to invite ‘em, so it can’t be that bad!”

“Of course,” Serena reciprocated. “This is for Rudy, after all. We’re doing the right thing.”

“Speaking of that,” Nita mumbled, “As I was saying… What about the other kids?”

“I want to speak with Yuuki first. They’re much closer to  _ him _ than anyone else.” 

“That makes sense, sis,” Ray agreed. “But, what’re we going to do while we wait for school to start again?”

“I’ll just keep observing. Other than you four,  _ nobody else _ can know that I am, though.” 

“Except for those other kids in the classes below us?”

“...Except for them. And perhaps I should go to Miette about this, too. I’m sure she’ll be very cooperative.”


	14. A (Fun) Competition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby, feeling a bit down and uninspired than usual, needs inspiration for a poster competition she entered in, so she asks Nagisa for some advice.

While Nagisa was sketching a drawing of a fish, they were interrupted by the sound of their phone ringing on the table. They picked it up, and answered the call, for it read ‘Ruby Myers.’

“Hey Nagisa! How’s your day going?” Ruby inquired. 

“Good. Yours?” Nagisa replied, continuing to draw on their paper. 

“It’s fine, I guess. I’m a bit bummed out though, not gonna lie.”

Nagisa blinked. “Why?”

“Well, y’know those competitions that are held around town pretty often, right? Did you know that there’s another one going on?”

Nagisa attempted to recall back to any announcements that they heard relating to competitions. They confusedly replied, “No…?” 

“It’s a poster-making contest, for the fourth of July. If you win, your poster design is gonna be seen literally everywhere, since it’ll be used for promoting an event.”

“A fireworks show?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Ruby sighed. “I’m totally stumped, and I’ve been thinking of ideas for ages.”

“You can enter? This young?”

“Yup! I was pretty surprised too, but you can enter if you’re over thirteen. My classmates can’t, though. I just happen to be older. But for real, I can’t think of anything.” 

“Hmm…” Nagisa’s mind was about to wander off somewhere else, until Ruby’s voice snapped them out of it. 

“Hey, I remember that Rudy told me you helped him out with the club’s flyer designs. Are you good at sketching, or something?”

Nagisa paused to think of what to say, and replied, “Kind of. I’m better at taking care of Bagel.”

“Ooh, can you help me with the—“

“No, I don’t feel like it.” Nagisa once again grabbed their pencil, and continued to draw. 

“Oh, okay, that’s fine. I’ll try to do it by myself, then!”

“But…” Nagisa paused for a quick moment, and questioned, “Are you  _ decided _ ?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“ _ Decided… Desert… Separate… _ ” Nagisa muttered, their brows furrowing. 

“Do you mean ‘separated?’” 

“ _ The word… Desperate _ . Are you desperate?”

“Oh, well, kind of. I don’t wanna force you to help me, though. I don’t think that’d count as you helping out either. So… don’t worry about it! I’ll figure something out.”

“I’ll help, on one condition. Let’s go to a café.”

“A café?” Ruby whispered to herself. She questioned, “Sure, but which one? The one that just opened recently? I forgot its name.”

“The Doane Café. They have good grilled cheese. I heard that.”

“I love grilled cheese! I’m in!” Ruby beamed excitedly. She paused, “But wait, I thought you only liked fish and stuff.”

“I do. But, there’s no sushi. I’ll go for salad.”

“Alright, sounds good!” She jumped off of her chair, and walked backwards towards her door. “I’ll go ahead and tell my mom. What time do you wanna meet up there?”

“Now.”

“Right now? Isn’t it a bit too early?”

“It’s never too early. That’s what Dennis said.”

She inaudibly mumbled, “I mean, he and Lisa are kinda impatient though…” She exclaimed, “But, okay! Do you wanna meet up in front of the mall’s entrance?”

“Yeah.”

“Great, I’ll get ready then! See ya there!”

“Bye-bye.”

Ruby hung up, and threw her phone onto the bed. 

_ Y’know, this might be a great opportunity for me to get closer to Nagisa. I haven’t really talked to them that much. Ah, I hope I wasn’t asking too many questions… It should be okay, though! Alright, where’s Mamá... _

*****

Ruby stood on the sidewalk, near the entrance of the mall they were supposedly meeting at. As soon as she spotted Nagisa, she waved and shouted, “Heyo, Nagisa! Over here!”

Nagisa calmly walked up to her, and returned the greeting. “Hello.”

“Wow, there are so many people here! I’m surprised you didn’t get lost in the crowd!” Ruby looked around her surroundings, as her eyes widened. 

“I left earlier, but it took a bit to get here.”

“Glad you could make it!” She noticed the shirt Nagisa was wearing, and observed its simplistic yet festive design. “Hey, you look really nice! You’re really into the fourth of July spirit, aren’t ya?”

Nagisa looked down at their shirt, and directly pointed out the design. “Yeah. Fireworks are cool. Just like fish.”

“True, true!” Ruby chuckled, “Aha, here I am, wearing the plainest thing ever…” She questioned, “So, where’s the café? Is it in the mall, by any chance?”

“Yes.”

“Great! We don’t hafta go too far, then. Lead the way, my navigator!”

Nagisa had a puzzled expression. “Navigator…?”

“That’s someone who leads the way, or basically, a leader.” Ruby pointed to them and grinned. “And  _ you’re _ the leader here!”

“Oh, I get it. This way.” Nagisa opened the door for Ruby, and she walked inside the mall, Nagisa following behind her.

Walking beside each other, they both admired the sights before them, as Ruby continued to grin. She exclaimed, “There’s so many people here too! And the place is decorated for July already... It looks amazing!”

“Yeah.” Nagisa nodded. “Japan was like this too.”

“Ah, really? What did it look like?” Ruby asked out of curiosity. 

“There was lots of stuff everywhere. It was really colorful… lot’s of colors.”

“Haha, I figured! Man, Japan seems like a really cool place. I used to wanna travel around the world so badly! I think I really wanted to live in Italy someday.”

“The pizza place?”

“Oh my god, yes! Y’know that I love pizza right? I heard that in Italy, it’s, like, super good! I wanna try some from there, even if Missouri’s is great. Heck, maybe my new goal will be to try out every pizza from every country and state!”

Nagisa blinked and stated, “I’m hungry. The café is over there.” They pointed to the right, which was around where the café was located. 

“Oh, right! Let’s go!”

They both continued to walk towards the café, and at last made it without any distractions, until now. Nagisa stood in place as they observed an advertisement on the café’s window. 

“...Dessert,” They mumbled.

“What, dessert?” Ruby walked back towards them and questioned, “Weren’t you gonna have a salad?” 

“The paper.” They stared at the flyer intensely, and didn’t care for what was happening in their surroundings. “Hmm…”

“We’ll get dessert later on, I promise!” Ruby ensured, motioning Nagisa to go inside the café along with her. Finally giving in, Nagisa took their attention off the flyer, and walked behind Ruby. 

A cool, welcoming aura could be felt as they opened the door, and entered the café. They both admired the look and feel of the place, and searched for an open table.

“This place looks neat! It reminds me of another café near my house. Where do you wanna sit?” Ruby asked.

“Here. Close to the window.” Nagisa pointed to a table that was near the flyer they saw not too long ago. It was by the same window, and they seemed to be very passionate about sitting there.

“Okay!” Ruby beamed. She sat herself down, and waited for Nagisa to do the same. Once they were both seated, they took a look at the menus laying on the table before them. 

“Hmm, there’s a whole lot more than I thought there’d be!” Ruby’s eyes carefully observed the menu page, and all of its options. “I’ll probably go for something other than grilled cheese… Nagisa, you still gettin’ the salad with all this food?” She questioned, waiting for their response. “Hello?” She noticed that Nagisa wasn’t paying attention, and was still looking at the menu rather profoundly. “Ah, nevermind.”

“...Can’t read this.” They sighed. 

“Oh, I get it. Want me to read this out loud?” Ruby asked. “Turn it around, what’re you having trouble reading?” 

A young-looking waitress appeared before them, and shyly inquired, “Umm… Are you two ready to order?”

“Oh, hey!” Ruby was slightly startled by her sudden appearance. “No, not yet.”

The girl stammered, “Alright, t-take your time then…”

“Hold up! I feel like I’ve seen you before!” Before the girl could walk away, Ruby pointed to her and exclaimed, “Yeah, I have! You go to our school, right?”

“Y-Yes, I do.”

“Oh, you’re that high schooler from 11th grade! Whenever I go into the clubroom, I see you in the hallway!”

The girl’s eyes widened in surprise. “‘The clubroom?’ Are you in the Anime Club by any chance…?”

“Yeah, I am! What’s your name? Mine is Ruby.”

“I-It’s Inaya…” She muttered. Nice to meet you, I guess.”

“I didn’t know that you worked here! How long  _ have _ you been, actually?”

“Only for a few months… I’m getting better at being a waitress, I think. It’s still a bit nerve-racking.” She softly smiled, growing to be a bit more comfortable with this person she barely knew. 

“I totally get that! I used to be super nervous around people I didn’t know, but I found out that a few of ‘em in my class were pretty nice, so I tried to make some friends, or something.”

“I bet it was really easy for you.” She mumbled, “I’m kinda jealous…”

“It wasn’t  _ that _ easy, but I still think you can do it! We’ve both been through the same thing!” Ruby grinned. 

“You’re right, I guess... Thanks. I should probably take your order before someone scolds me, though.”

“Oh, right!” Ruby quickly got a hold of her menu, flipping to the page with the option she wanted. “Uh, can I have a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, and some water?”

“Of course.” Inaya looked over to Nagisa. “You?”

“Hey, whaddya wanna order, Nagisa?” Ruby questioned, attempting to grab their attention. 

“I-Is everything okay?” Nagisa completely ignored Inaya’s question, and continued to stare at their menu. 

“I can draw on this menu,” Nagisa gasped.

“A-Actually, please don’t…” Inaya muttered, urging Nagisa to put the menu down. 

“Some crayons.”

“Sorry, we don’t give out crayons… Do you want to order something?”

“No bad crayons.”

“Non-toxic crayons…? I’m sorry, we don’t have those either…”

“Soup. Chicken soup.”

“C-Chicken soup…? Okay then, please wait a moment…” Inaya wrote down their orders and stepped away from the table. She made her way into the kitchen, leaving the two kids by themselves. 

“You like soup, Nagisa?” Ruby chuckled, “I’ve actually never had that before! I’m too busy eating rice and beans, haha.” 

An entire minute of silence later, Ruby felt like she had to say something, or else there’d be an awkward silence until the food arrived. Nagisa just continued to stare out the window, leaving Ruby a bit confused.

“So, what do you wanna talk about?” She tapped the table, trying to think of a topic. “Oh, what have you done over the summer?”

“You like Christmas?” Nagisa blinked, attempting to make proper eye contact with Ruby.

“...Christmas? Yeah, I do. Why?”

“A holiday is coming soon. In July.”

“Oh, yeah, the fourth of July. You wanna talk about holidays?”

“Yeah.” Nagisa faced forward in their chair, and gave Ruby their full attention. “It’s really sparkly during Christmas. It’s pretty everywhere, too. Today reminded me of Christmas.”

“That’s true! Springfield gets really decorative for the holidays, and it’s really nice! Have you seen what this mall looks like during New Years? It’s super pretty.”

“No. In Japan, I stayed home.” 

“How come? I thought that there were tons of festivals or something.”

“It’s too loud there. It hurts.”

“Ah, okay. I kinda get where you’re coming from. I get a bit nervous in large crowds, too.”

“It hurts, it’s too loud,” They repeated. “I watch Bagel instead.”

“How long have you had Bagel, again?”

“Since we moved.” They looked off to the side, managing to crack a smile. “He’s a good fish. He makes me happy.”

Ruby smiled back. “I’m glad! You really do care for those species, don’t you? Animals too, I’m guessing?”

“All animals. They make me happy. You too?”

“Well,” She giggled, “Rudy is terrified of dogs, actually. Not me, though! I’ve wanted a pet for the longest time, but Dad doesn’t want us to have one. It’s because he’s allergic to them. Rudy isn’t, but he probably inherited Dad’s fear of dogs.”

“Cool.” Their attention span being as short as ever, they recalled, “Back to Christmas. Your poster…”

“Yeah, of course!” Ruby leaned on the table, and inquired, “So do you have something in mind already? I’m  _ still _ totally brain dead.”

“Resign to a holiday. Make it similar.”

“ _ ‘Resign _ ?’” Ruby took a few moments to decipher what they meant. She nervously laughed, “Oh, you mean  _ design _ ! You want me to give it a Christmas kinda vibe? I can’t do that, though…”

“No. The poster is for a holiday. Put holiday stuff on it,” Nagisa explained, with hardly any detail.

“Elements from the holiday, huh? Like some fireworks, and all that?”

“Yes. Make it pretty.”

“That makes sense… Sorry, I really could’ve thought of this myself, but I’m just dumb. I hope you don’t feel like I’m forcing you to do everything.”

Once a few seconds of silence passed, Nagisa groaned, “...I’m hungry.”

“Ah, don’t worry, the food should be comin’ soon, I think!”

“I’m so sorry for the wait!” Inaya carefully walked up to the table, quickening her pace. “Something happened in the kitchen, and... I—“

“Hey, ‘sup!” Ruby happily greeted.

“Umm… Here are your drinks, and… The food…” The diffident waitress placed their food onto the table, starting with the soup, and the sandwich right afterwards. She then provided them with two glasses of water, and straws.

“Oh, thanks!” Ruby praised. “Nagisa, the food is here.”

“Hmm.” Nagisa took a quick look at the food, and continued to look out the window afterwards.

“I hope you two enjoy it.” Inaya smiled.

“Thank you!” Ruby attempted to tap her shoulder from afar, and questioned, “Hey, I actually have a question. Do you have a sec?”

“Y-Yeah, what is it?” Inaya took a step closer to the table, paying full attention to Ruby. 

“Well, I’m dumb, so I’m tryna find some inspiration for a poster I’m making…”

“O-Oh, for that poster-making contest?” She muttered, “I know about that… I was thinking about joining, but I’m just too busy. I’ll have to take care of my little sister… she’s only two.”

“That’s sweet! My brother and I were gonna go to a fireworks festival together. Are you going to the same one?”

“The one in Fair Saint Louis? Yeah, we’re going there…”

“Nice! Maybe we can meet up or something!” Ruby chuckled, “Wait, we’re totally getting off topic! So, do you have any design ideas for my poster?”

“Oh…” Inaya took a moment to think, and then suggested, “Maybe you two can view some store and event promotions on those store windows. There are a ton of them, since it’s the summer.”

“Hey, that’s a good idea! Nagisa, what do you think? You wanna walk around the mall after this?” 

Nagisa took a sip of the soup, and mumbled, “...This tastes good.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Okay.”

Ruby piped, “Alright then! Thanks, Iyana.”

“N-No problem! I’m glad that I could help. Enjoy your food, guys.” Inaya walked away from the table to take another guest’s order. 

Ruby took a bite from her sandwich, and gasped, “Man, this tastes really good! We should come here again, shouldn’t we? Maybe we can bring my  _ mom _ , too! She’d really like the pastries here.”

“Too hot…” Nagisa groaned, quickly putting the silverware down. 

“Don’t burn your tongue, wait for it to cool down, or something.” Ruby grabbed her second sandwich, and asked, “Do you wanna have one of my sandwiches? There’s, like, two of them anyway.”

“No.” Nagisa shook their head. “Ham tastes bad.”

“Oh, you don’t like ham? That’s fine, you want me to remove it?”

“Okay.”

“Alrighty, and…” Ruby carefully opened up her sandwich and removed the ham. She put it back together, and handed the ham-less cheese sandwich to Nagisa. “Here ya go!”

“Thanks.”

“No problem!” She chuckled, “I’ll shut up now, haha. We need to eat.”

“I like it when you talk.”

“Oh, really?” Her eyes widened in surprise. “I thought that I was being annoying.”

“Nope.”

“Well, thanks! I really appreciate it.” Somehow, Ruby’s heart fluttered at the sudden compliment, her heart beating faster than usual.

*****

“Man, I’m glad we went there!” Ruby stretched her arms, and smiled out of satisfaction. “I don’t even care that they didn’t have any pizza! So, which way do you wanna go?”

“Left,” Nagisa suggested. “Lots of ads are there.”

“You’re right! That’s around the shopping area. Don’t get lost in the crowd!”

“Is it loud?”

“I mean, it sounds pretty loud over there. We don’t have to go that way, though. Let’s just go right, ‘kay?”

“No. We’re going left.” Nagisa stared at Ruby intensely, trying to get the message across.

“But there’s too many people! Are you sure you’re gonna be okay? It’ll be too—“

Their eyebrows furrowed, as the tone of their voice dropped. “We’re going left.”

“Alright then.” Ruby gave in, and walked behind Nagisa. She tried to stay close to them, so that neither of them would get lost in the large crowd that suddenly walked by. 

Finally having some room to breathe, Ruby noticed a large advertisement on the way, and ran to it, exclaiming, “Woah, that poster is huge! Ah, it’s promoting that new store that’s gonna be built. Do you think that they’d still be working on that place during the holidays?”

Nagisa shrugged, looking at the poster.

“Look here, too. Auditions, new stores, things on sale… that’s not what I’m looking for, though. I need something that’s close to promoting an event, or something.” Ruby continued to ramble, “Like, what is it supposed to say? It can’t just be,  _ Hey, there’s this fireworks show. Please go.  _ That’s too straightforward.”

“You can do it. Don’t worry,” Nagisa assured.

“Thanks, but I feel like I have to. Dang, y’know, I shouldn’t have done this in the first place… Rudy’s gonna get upset…”

“Him.” Nagisa pointed out, eyes half-lidded, and eyebrows furrowed. 

“W-Wait, sorry, I’m confusing you…!” Ruby stuttered, “It’s just that he could totally do this in a flash, and he’s better at this stuff than me, but he doesn’t get that, y’know?!” She said, quieter than usual, “Okay, sibling things…” Frowning, she looked to the ground, and turned away from Nagisa. 

“I don’t get it. But don’t worry.” 

She looked back up and muttered, “Yeah, you’re right, I really shouldn’t worry.” Her frown slowly turned into a smile. “Thanks for tryna help me, Nagisa! You know what, I can do this! There’s some more over there, let’s go.”

They walked up to a few more flyers and posters and continued to look for inspiration, but a certain flyer caught Nagisa’s eye. They stared at it, and mumbled, “Ice cream.”

“This one looks pretty good,” Ruby piped, observing the flyers before her. “It’s kinda like what I’m looking for, too! Imma try and imagine something, hold up…!”

“ _ Ice cream _ .”

“I think I’ve got it. Do you have a piece of paper on ya? I don’t have a pencil, either. Wait, hold up, this is plagiarism! I can’t copy some random poster! Hmm…”

“ _ Ice cream _ …” They snapped out of it, noticing what Ruby said. “Hm?”

“I’m just gonna say it out loud.  _ Come and visit the Fair Saint Louis fireworks festival for the fourth of July! There’ll be four days of fun, and fireworks!  _ How does that sound, Nagisa? Or is it too weird?”

They nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Really? That’s awesome! Wow, I actually know what to write for it…” Ruby chuckled.

“Let’s get ice cream.” 

“Ice cream? Didn’t we just eat a while ago? Are you still hungry?”

“It’s…” Nagisa couldn’t find the words they were looking for, so they stated, “A  _ few minutes _ away. It’s a ‘stand.’ You said we’d have dessert.”

“Yeah, I did,” Ruby ran her fingers through her hair. “I was just assuming that you’d want some later, since we just ate.”

“Nah, I want ice cream.”

“Alright then! Let’s go now, then. Do you know where it is, Nagisa?”

“No. It was on the paper.”

“Oh! I can pull up where it is on my phone, don’t worry! Let’s see…” Ruby took out her phone and input the passcode.

“Thanks.”

“Yeah, no prob!” She pulled up a map and searched for the nearest ice cream stands. “Okay, it’s only five minutes away. Let’s go towards the entrance, it’s faster that way.” She pointed to the right, urging Nagisa to follow along. “This way!”

“Alright.”

*****

“Wow, even the park is decorated nicely! And look at all of these food stands!” Ruby exclaimed, as she and Nagisa walked into the park, admiring the scenery. “Man, I thought that there’d be more people around here by next week!”

“Same.” The sound of children shouting caught Nagisa’s attention. “Ugh.” They covered their ears, attempting to tune out the ear-piercing sounds.

Ruby noticed this, and asked, “Oh, tell me if it gets too loud, alright?”

“Okay.”

She chuckled and sighed, “Seriously, Rudy hates going to this place when it’s crowded. I kinda get where he’s comin’ from, though. It’s easy to get a bit nervous.” Suddenly remembering the reason why they were there, she blurted, “Wait, we need to find the ice cream stand!” She mumbled to herself, “Okay, it’s over here…”

“There’s a short line.”

“You’re right! That’s probably because everyone else is getting some lunch, first. I feel like they’d go for dessert later on in the day.”

“That’s true.”

They both got in line, and read the menu that was placed at the front of the stand. “Well, what kinda flavor do you want?” Ruby inquired. “I’m goin’ for the vanilla!”

“I want strawberry. I like it a lot.”

“I love strawberry too! It’s one of my favorite flavors, but I wanna go for vanilla today. Nobody else I know is a huge fan of vanilla, though.”

“I like vanilla. It’s simple.”

“Yeah, exactly!” Ruby grinned widely, “Man, we have so much more in common than I thought. Why haven’t I talked to you this much before?”

They muttered, “I’m not  _ that _ cool.”

“I think you are.” Ruby’s voice softened as she added, “You’re also really cute.”

Nagisa was caught off guard, and felt heat rise to their face. “...Thanks.” 

Ruby realized what she just said, and quickly averted her eyes. 

_ W-Wait, why did I just say that? _

Noticing the space in front of them, she exclaimed, “Oh, we’re next in line!”

They both walked up to the server, and ordered the ice cream they wanted. Ruby grabbed some cash from her wallet and paid for the desserts, and received change. Once they had their ice cream in hand, they walked to a clean, empty table and took a seat. 

“This tastes amazing!” Ruby took a lick from her ice cream. “How is it for you, Nagisa?”

“It’s good.” Nagisa smiled softly, and took a bite from their cone.

“Great! Aren’t we super lucky? Not a single place we’ve been to today has bad food!”

“Only  _ two _ , though,” They corrected.

“Yeah, but still! Man, I’ve really been on a good luck kinda streak!” Once the taste finally settled, Ruby’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait…  _ Oh _ .”

“Hm?”

She whined, “I take that back. My good luck is  _ over.  _ This ice cream is starting to taste, like,  _ really really  _ weird.”

“What?”

“It tastes like it’s been refrozen. Crap, was this pre-made a long time ago?” Her eyes narrowed, as she gagged. “...EW!”

“Throw it away.”

She calmed down and looked up at Nagisa. “Ugh… I can’t do that! At least I didn’t waste my money, but… I can’t eat this…”

“Are you sad?”

“Yeah, kinda, not gonna lie. Y’know, it’ll be fine, I promise! I’ll just throw this… gross...ice cream away, like you said. I can get some dessert at home, or something! Yeah, that’s fine!”

Nagisa blinked and looked up in thought. They held out their ice cream in front of Ruby. “Have mine.”

“No, I told you, it’s alright! Just enjoy yours.”

“You don’t look happy. Have mine.”

“...Are you really sure?”

“Yes. Have mine.”

Ruby sighed, put her cone to the side, and accepted Nagisa’s offer. “Thank you so much… I’m sorry for this. At least have the other half, you really wanted it.”

“Okay. Don’t be sorry,” Nagisa soothed. 

“...It’s delicious.” Ruby slowly began to grin, and regained her contentment. “Hey, and about the poster—“

“You have something?”

“Yeah! Thanks to you, I do!” She beamed. “Going out really helped. Seeing all these decorations and pretty flyers gave me some inspiration. So thanks, Nagisa. I really needed this.”

“Yeah. Glad you’re happy.”

“I really am! As soon as I get home, I’m gonna make the poster, I swear! It’s gonna look super awesome! You’ll be the first person I send the design to.”

“I can’t wait. Good luck on making it.”

“I’ll do my best!” Ruby noticed a small bit of ice cream dripping off the cone. “Oh, the ice cream is gonna melt! Ah…” She hastily licked the sides to keep any more from dripping down. “I’ve been having too much, haha. Here, have the rest.” She handed it to Nagisa, and smiled widely. They took the ice cream from her, and smiled back.

“Hey, let’s go home after this,” Nagisa suggested. “More people are coming.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right! It’s better if we leave before it gets too crowded. You have everything with ya, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Good, same here. I’ll wait till you finish!”

Ruby pulled out her phone while she waited for Nagisa to finish the strawberry ice cream. She checked her messages to see if she had gotten any texts that day, but there weren’t any notifications. So instead, she turned off her phone and looked up at Nagisa, grinning at the sight.

“I’m ready to go.” Nagisa took the last bite out of the cone, and grabbed a napkin to clean their hands.

“Okay then!” Ruby giggled, “Well, I’m glad that we could hang out together!”

“Me too. I was bored.”

“Haha, I bet it’s the same for the others!” They both got up from their seats, and threw the napkins in the garbage can. Prepared to walk their separate paths, Ruby waved goodbye. “I’ll see ya later, Nagisa! I had a lot of fun!”

“Bye-bye.” Nagisa returned the favor, and walked in the opposite direction to make their way home.

*****

Ruby walked into her home, and went up the stairs towards her and Rudy’s room. As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by her brother sitting on the bed, awaiting her arrival. 

“So, how was the date?” He asked, making no big deal out of it as he continued to play his video game, with his guitar beside him. 

“What do you mean?” Ruby stammered, “Did Mamá tell you that I…?”

“Yeah, she did. I’ve been hanging out with her all day, after all. So, how did the date with Nagisa go?”

“I-It wasn’t a date! I was…” She couldn’t tell her brother that she was participating in the contest. Her result was supposed to be a surprise, wasn’t it? 

Is  _ that  _ what it was?

In place, she stammered out, “I-I was talking about something  _ really, really _ important! ...Or something.”

“Well, otherwise, I’m glad you’re happy. Anyway...” Rudy put his game down, and properly greeted his sister. “Welcome home. Mamá wanted to know if you were up for having some gazpacho.”

“Oh, that’s soup, right?”

“Yeah, do you want some?”

“Hmm… Sure, yeah! I’ll give it a try.”

“Great, I’ll tell Mamá. I’m glad you had a great day.”

“Sweet! Hey, have you been practicing on your guitar for the first time in a million years?”

“I have. I figured that I might as well try it again. I got hooked on this visual novel, though. I really can’t make progress after all…”

“I mean, you’re really good at playing the guitar! Even better than I was before, too! Anyway, I’m just gonna play in the living room, I guess. I’m bored now.”

“Diviértete.”

Ruby walked to the living room, and turned on her gaming system. Hopping onto the couch, she hastily grabbed the controller and waited for the game to boot up. She’d only play until Rudy was out of the room, anyway. Right now, the main thing she’s concerned about is her brother finding out about the poster. 

But why? 

Ruby felt selfish.

She considered:  _ Maybe I should just do this thing, and hope I win?  _ The main goal is to make the poster and win, after all. That’s what the competition is all about. For the longest time, she’s wanted Rudy to feel confident in himself, and support him with anything, because that’s just what a sibling does. But here she is, entering a contest, and hoping to steal the glory for herself. That’s _ exactly  _ what she thought, and she hated that. 

But of course, there was no backing down now. She entered, and now she has to submit her entry. That’s just how it was. Even if she feels terrible about it, or thinks that it’ll make her brother’s situation worse, she didn’t regret the time she spent with Nagisa.  _ That _ was something else entirely. When she was with them, almost all of her worries went away, even if it was for a short while. It was like she could finally breathe. 


	15. Paper Thin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby finds out about the results of the competition she participated in, and the Anime Club (including a few others) attend a fireworks festival on the fourth of July.

It was a week before the fourth of July. Not too long ago, the results for the competition had been released. However, Ruby’s anxiousness and guilt kept her away from it for the entire day, until now. She felt like she just couldn’t find out. After all, her main dilemma was unavoidable and treacherous. All she could think about were the both the possible and impossible outcomes that were to occur. 

What would happen if she won? Would her brother feel happy for her, or be upset? Would he be jealous of her victory? The least of her worries was what would happen if she lost, yet she still thought about it. She knew what she wanted from the start; The desire to simply enter a contest for fun wasn’t bad itself. But eventually, the more she thought about it, the more Ruby felt selfish, for her reason to enter turned into the desire to win. 

But now, here she was, turning on her phone and checking her email to see the results. Before she opened her email, she let out a sigh, and tried to calm her nerves by taking a deep breath. Scrolling throughout her inbox, she noticed a certain email’s subject, stating,  _ Fair St. Louis Poster Competition Results. _ Just from the first word, she could tell what it was, which didn’t help her nervousness dissipate by any means. Slowly pressing on the screen with her index finger, she opened up the email’s body text, and read it to herself. Once she got to a certain point in a paragraph, she started reading aloud, excitement and anxiety reaching their peaks at the same time.

“‘It’s time to announce the top three winners. We are happy to inform you that the first place winner of the competition is  _ Ruby Myers _ , belonging to the Myers household.’”

Once she finished reading, she didn’t even know how to feel. All she could do was stare at her phone in confusion. Did she really win? Was it true? Was it all just a dream? 

To her astonishment, it wasn’t a dream. 

“I actually did it. It’s gonna be all around town…” As she spoke, her eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but smile widely and run towards the living room. “Mamá, guess what?! I did it, I won the conte—“

And sitting on the couch beside her mother was Rudy. 

“¿Seriamente? You won?!” Her Mamá quickly got off the couch, and ran to her daughter to embrace her in a hug. “¡Sabía que podrías hacerlo! I’m so proud of you,  _ chica _ !” Her arms were tightly wrapped around Ruby, barely giving her any room to breathe. She continued to praise her in mumbled spanish, while Rudy sat on the couch, looking at them with confusion.

“Mamá,” he asked, “What did she win?” 

She backed away from Ruby to face him, and put her hands on her hips, giving off a toothy grin. “She didn’t tell you?  _ Tu hermana _ entered a contest for the upcoming fireworks festival we’re going to next week! She designed a poster herself, and won!” She pulled Ruby closer to her and beamed, “So, you’re gonna see your own sister’s poster design around the place! Won’t that be fun?”

“I didn’t know that…! Why didn’t you say anything, Ruby?”

Ruby had to think of an excuse, and  _ fast _ . “Ah, well, you guys seemed pretty busy, so I—“ 

“That’s great! Congrats, sis!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you must’ve put a lot of time into that. Now I kinda get why you wanted it to be a surprise.”

The word ‘surprise’ caught her off guard. “A surprise? Yeah, sure, that’s totally what it was! Thanks bro!” She could’ve sworn that she started sweating right then and there.

Rudy followed his mother’s footsteps, and held his hand up in the air to give his sister a high-five. Ruby hesitantly accepted it, and faked a laugh. 

“Let’s get serious,” Their Mamá declared. “¿Cómo lo estamos celebrando?”

“A celebration?!” Ruby cringed, a panic slowly but surely creeping upon her.

“I feel like we should do what sis wants to do,” The brother suggested, smiling. That was just too much for her. 

“ME?!” The shouting had her two own relatives staring at her confusedly, which caused her to fall into a state of extreme panic. “I-I mean, yeah, me!” As she stuttered, she gave it her all to make it look like she wasn’t nervous in any way. But of course, her streak of bad luck had just begun.

“Are you alright, sis? You’re probably tired, right?”

She mentally whined,  _ Gosh darn it! Now they’re gonna think I’m a weirdo! What am I supposed to say now? I can’t tell them to back away, either! That’s just terrible! _

Her mother put a hand on her shoulder, and gave her a sincere, soft smile. “Rest if you need to,” She soothed, “Has hecho tanto. Please call me if you need me for anything, okay?”

“O-Okay…”

“Bueno. I’m really proud of you, chica.” 

Ruby smiled at her mother’s words, and felt a bit at ease. Sadly, it didn’t last for too long. 

“Well then!” Their Mamá lifted her hand and hopped back onto the couch. “Time to watch my telenovelas! Wanna join me, hijo?”

“Sure, I guess.” He walked away from Ruby, and sat with his mother on the couch. He grabbed the remote, and switched channels. “What are you going to do, sis?” Turning over to Ruby, he basically invited her to join them.

“No thanks,” She replied, “I wanna call some friends on my phone for a bit.” 

“Okay, then. Have fun.”

Ruby walked into the bathroom, closed the door behind her, and locked it. She really just needed some space away from them, no matter how difficult it was to do so. It’s always been like that, anyway. She could never blatantly state that she wants to back away from them, so she normally comes into the bathroom and stares at the window instead. It turned into a weird habit, but somehow, it helped her calm down a little, for she was able to disconnect herself from the others for a while. 

“Dang,” She sighed and mumbled to herself, “Now it’s just been worse than ever. I need to take a breather at that fireworks festival, really. Maybe I can hang out with the club members…” She looked through the calendar on her phone, and viewed the set schedules for next week. “Only a few days till then. I can wait.”

*****

“Ugh,” Min-Jun complained, “This place is packed.” He looked around, all he could see being crowds of people, plenty of food stands, and kids shouting in excitement (which was probably due to the parade). He turned over to his father and asked, “How are we even gonna get anywhere?”

He replied, “You gotta be patient. Your sisters want to see the parade, so we’re heading there first.”

“But it already started a few minutes ago!”

“At least we’ll see the end. Where’s Aera?”

“She’s right here.” Min-Jun grabbed Aera’s hand, revealing that she was behind him. “C’mon, let’s go, sis.”

“I don’t even like parades…” Aera mumbled, still holding on tightly to Min-Jun’s hand.

“Hey, remember what Dad said at home? He said that you might like it, or whatever.” He bent over and whispered, “Plus, we’re being forced to go to this thing, whether you like it or not.”

She whispered back, “Then why are you agreeing with Dad?”

“I have no choice. I don’t wanna be here with Hyun-a. I’m also gonna be forced to interact with random strangers.”

They both looked up to the sounds of their relatives running ahead of them, with their Dad falling behind.

“Oh, crap. Let’s go, Aera. Don’t get lost.” Min-Jun squeezed her hand and ran throughout the crowd, catching up with his family. 

Meanwhile, returning from an activity, Lisa and her best friends from school browsed the multitude of food stands wearing cutesy, frilly clothing. Well, everyone except for Lisa.

“Hey, what’s up with the traditional-looking outfit?” One of them curiously asked.

Another chimed in, “Yeah, I thought we were all gonna wear the same thing, or something.”

Lisa corrected, “It’s not  _ that _ traditional-looking, Hope.” She paused, “And wait, we were? Nobody told me about that, Summer! Are y’all plotting against me?”

“Of course not!” Miette blinked at Hope. “You were supposed to tell her, weren’t you?” 

She replied, “I was? I thought that was Summer! I told her first! Why didn’t you tell Lisa?”

“Hey, I’m not the one to blame. Mimi always tells Lisa everything, and she literally  _ knows _ everything, too.” Summer crossed her arms, and pouted.

Miette giggled, “Seriously? I don’t know  _ everything. _ ” She bore a mischievous smirk, “Or maybe I do…”

“Sometimes you really freak me out, Mimi.”

Lisa cleared her throat to grab their attention. “In case y’all were wondering, back in Japan, I wore a super cute kimono at every fireworks festival. But it’d totes be weird to wear it here, so I had to improvise. So how do I look?”

“Like you were born in the Heian period,” Summer snickered.

“I think you look great!” Miette complimented. “You pull it off pretty well.”

“It doesn’t look that bad. Y’know, I kinda dig that style, Lisa.” Hope looked up in thought, and inquired, “So, what do you guys wanna do next?”

“We might as well go to one of the food stands,” Miette replied. “There’s a ton of them over here. I brought some extra money with me, too.”

“So you can use it for yourself,” Summer mumbled.

“Nah, that’s my job!” Lisa piped, “I really wanna some cute little hair accessories! I saw some earlier, where they sell the merch.”

“But why do you need more?” Hope questioned. “You already have a huge collection.”

“Yeah, and my collection is growing! C’mon guys, onwards to the merch!” Lisa sprinted to who-knows-where, avoiding the crowd. The other girls reluctantly followed behind her, except for Miette, who enthusiastically ran in their footsteps.

“Gah!” Lisa suddenly bumped into someone in front of her, and was taken aback. “W-Wha—“

“Lisa, are you alright?” Miette patted her back, and checked if Lisa was hurt anywhere. The other girls followed the same procedure (naturally, of course).

“Who are—“ Lisa’s question was answered, for once she opened her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of someone familiar. “...Dennis?”

“Oh, hey Lisa!” He relented, “I totally didn’t see ya there, sorry!” 

“It’s fine.” Lisa turned around to face her friends. “Guys, this is Dennis. We work together in the Anime Club!”

“Oh, hey…” Hope stood in place, being totally lovestruck, while Summer just cringed and crossed her arms. “I-I’m Hope,” She stammered out, “Hi.” 

“Hey, I’ve seen ya ‘round the hallway before! Nice to meet ya!” Dennis walked up to her and (quite aggresively) shook her hand. “You probably already know who I am, though. I’m, like, super popular and stuff.” He let go, leaving Hope in awe.

“He touched my hand…”

“But whatever!” Dennis pulled out his phone from his pocket. “Do y’all wanna take a selfie? Yes? Okay!”

“Why? What’re you gonna do with that photo?” Summer questioned suspiciously. “Weirdo,” She added with no hesitation.

“It’s for my blog, duh. Hasn’t Lisa told y’all about this? I thought she had a page, too.”

Lisa’s eyes widened in realization, and fibbed, “Yeah, totally! Don’t be ridiculous, of course I have a page. Tons of followers, and stuff.”

“I thought so! And plus, I always take a photo and post it whenever I meet new people. It makes me pretty well-known, actually. That’s just how cool I am!”

Lisa wasn’t gonna lie about this: She was jealous of all the attention he was getting from them. But Dennis couldn’t tell that she was slightly irritated, so he went on. 

“So, do a pose, or something, like peace signs!” He added, “Those are real popular for some reason.” 

“No thanks,” Summer rebuked, “We’re not taking a picture. Let’s just go, guys.” She grabbed Hope by the hand and pulled her away from Dennis. “Are you seriously gonna hang with this weirdo, Mimi?”

“If Lisa wants to, then sure.” She replied.

By now, Lisa’s irritability subsided, so she assured, “Yeah, I do! But what are you and Hope gonna do, Summer?”

“The two of us are gonna watch the parade.” Summer scoffed, “Have fun with the weirdo.” Lisa and Miette watched as the two girls disappeared into the crowd, as Dennis was messing with his phone’s camera.

“Okay, I’ll use this filter,” He mumbled to himself, smiling with content. “There we go, this’ll look perfect! Are y’all ready?”

Miette exclaimed, “Of course! Come closer, Lisa.”

“Alright, alright!” Lisa scooted over next to Miette, and Dennis stood in the middle. “Do we say cheese, or—“

“Okay,” Dennis commanded, “Everyone do a peace sign!” Once the two girls did as they were told, Dennis declared, “Good! Say  _ yoga! _ ”

“Yoga!”

“Yoga…?!”

Dennis snapped the photo, and brought it down to view his gallery. Yet again, the image was blurry (and Miette’s face could barely be seen), but it was better than the last time. 

“Dennis…” Lisa asked with a flat tone of voice, “Why did you have us say ‘yoga?’”

“You don’t know? That’s the better way of saying  _ cheese.  _ Tons of people are using it now!”

“Tons…?”

_ Am I not trendy anymore?! _

Miette exclaimed, “I knew, I knew! Hope told me about that new thing!”

Lisa mentally facepalmed.

What _ a way to make me feel less hip, Mimi! Darn it! _

“Hey, and by the way,” Dennis commented, “I actually saw Ruby and Rudy passing by a few minutes ago! I think they’re by one of the food stands.”

“Wait, really?!” Lisa exclaimed.

“Yup, wanna go see ‘em?”

“Yeah, yeah! Let’s go, Miette!”

“Oh,” Miette insisted, “I’m guessing they’re your friends from the club, too.”

“They are! C’mon, hurry up!” 

“You’re gonna bump into someone again,” A familiar voice advised, suddenly appearing behind Lisa. 

Dennis greeted, “Oh, hi Rudy.”

“S-Since when did you get there?!” Lisa turned around in shock.

“Sorry I scared you,” Rudy said under his breath. “Ruby and I got here a few minutes ago, actually. We just spotted you guys.”

“Ah, wait, do you know who I am?” Miette inquired, her voice shaking out of an unusual, slight panic.

“I don’t think so. What’s—“

“Hey guys!” Ruby hollered, walking up to them and waving her hands. “I saw Hope and Summer walk by, Lisa. I didn’t think that they’d be here!”

“Sup!” Lisa waved back, and waited for Ruby to come a bit closer. “Me neither, but it’s their first year.”

“That’s neat! My parents are just chilling at a random food stand. Anyway…” Ruby pointed to a pizza food stand. “Do y’all want some pizza, or something?”

“Sounds good,” Dennis exclaimed, “I’m in!”

“How can you guys have so much pizza…?” Rudy mumbled, averting his eyes to the side. “I can’t stand it at all…”

“I totally get it,” Miette concurred, “I don’t really like pizza that much either. I’d die for some liquorice, though…”

“You like liquorice? Seriously? I’ve tried that stuff, and it’s disgusting,” Dennis chuckled.

“Really? It isn’t bad for me. It’s delicious.”

Lisa faked a laugh, “Hah, I remember that time you forced me to eat it.” She shot a quick glare at Miette and sighed.

“Well, you haven’t even tried it before! I have a feeling that you’ll like it eventually.” Miette bore her iconic grin, which was unreadable. You could never tell what her true intentions were with  _ that damn smile. _

Rudy looked around his surroundings, and stared at the pizza food stand. “Can we go now…?” Despite not wanting to go, he had no choice in the matter, anyway.

“Oh, yeah, let’s go.” Ruby chuckled lightly, and let the others towards the food truck. 

As soon as they arrived, Lisa questioned, “Huh, why’s nobody here? Isn’t liking pizza…” She squinted, “... _ Trendy?” _

“Lisa,” The others flatly replied in unison, “Just look.” They pointed to a sign which stated:  **_CLOSED._ **

“Oh, come on!” She pouted, kicking the dirt on the ground with her foot.

“Now I’m starving! I blame everyone else here!” Dennis added, “Not you guys, obviously! But for real, where’s the food?!” 

Ruby groaned under her breath, “Nope, it’s my fault for sure.” 

“Why do you say that?” Miette asked.

“My luck is terrible. It’s brought us nothing but pain.”

Rudy commented, “You’re making it sound like you’re depressed…”

“But nope, I’m not! There’s plenty of other food trucks, right? Let’s just go to those… And hope I don’t screw it all up again.”

“Yeah!” They chanted, all but Rudy. He raised his eyebrows and wondered, 

_ Since when did this ‘bad luck’ exist?  _

Desperate to keep the attention on herself, Lisa blurted, “Yeah, yeah, but we gotta hurry!” She put her hands on her hips in a proud manner. “The fireworks are gonna go off in thirty minutes, anyway. If we—“

“Hey,” Ruby beamed, “I’m gonna call Nagisa!” 

“Nevermind, then.”

“I feel like you should just text ‘em, though. It’s, like, super loud out here.” Dennis suggested.

“Good idea.” Ruby pulled out her phone and texted Nagisa’s number. She wrote:

_ Hey, are u at the fireworks thing i mentioned last week? _

Miette just observed in confusion, as Ruby waited for a response. No less than fifteen seconds later, she received a notification, which read:

_ when the fireworks go off _

“Nagisa’s coming in fifteen minutes,” Ruby clarified. “I know that Min-Jun’s already here, so…” 

“Alright, then Nagisa’s just the last one.” Lisa crossed her arms and mumbled, “For real, they’ve never been this late before…” 

Rudy theorized, “We should have enough time to meet up together. They say that the fireworks go off at a certain time, when there’s an extra five minutes for preparation.”

“True, true! This is gonna be awesome!” Dennis piped excitedly. “I’ve never been to a fireworks festival in America before.”

Miette took her chance to speak, and informed, “They’re really neat, trust me. Missouri really knows how to throw a party.”

“Yeah,” Ruby chimed in, “Missouri is really cool! It’s been cool for the past couple of years, right bro?” 

“Kind of, if you don’t count our school back in Springfield,” Rudy replied.

“That’s true, honestly. It kinda sucks right now. I bet it’ll get better soon, though.”

“Y’know, I feel like it already is, just by a little. Maybe it’s because of the club.”

“You’re right!” Ruby paused, and her happy tone of voice dropped. “I mean, you’re really good at taking care of things. Lisa hasn’t started a war on one of our classes, yet.”

“Hey, some kid from that one class in 8th grade stole my pencil!” Lisa blurted. “How could I just forget about that?!” 

“‘Some kid?’ Your pencil?” Rudy mumbled, “That doesn’t really sound like a good reason to declare war on thirty people.”

“I…” Lisa attempted to come up with an excuse, but nothing came out. “I’m… still doing it, eventually.”

“By the way, Ruby,” Miette questioned, “You mentioned something about one of your friends being here already. Why don’t you guys try and find them?”

”Oh,” Ruby blinked, “But what about you?”

“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine!” Lisa leaned into Miette’s ear and whispered, “Ah, you  _ will _ be, right?”

“It’ll be fine, guys. I’ll just try to find Hope and Summer.” Miette walked away, and waved goodbye. “See ya when the fireworks start!” 

“Later, then!”

“You’ve only mentioned her name  _ once,  _ and that was around the time our club started. How come?” Rudy inquired.

Dennis bantered, “Maybe she was worried that Miette would be more popular than she issssss…~” 

“That’s not true. I just didn’t think that y’all would wanna get to know her,” Lisa corrected. “...Not when you already have me! Aren’t I just cool enough?”

At that moment, Rudy was just waiting for Hyun-a to butt in and say  _ no _ . It would’ve been perfect.

“C’mon, you guys. Let’s look for Min-Jun.” He reminded them.

“He’s probably being forced to go to that parade thingie with his family,” said Dennis. “It should be over by now, so that means he’s over… there!” He pointed towards an area in the field, and sure enough, people coming in from the parade’s festivities, prepping for the fireworks festival. “See, I’m always right!”

“Yeah, you are.” Lisa flatly chuckled and faked a smile. 

When the group looked towards the crowd of people, Rudy and Dennis saw a girl with a familiar face, who caught their eyes.

As soon as Dennis recognized her, he shouted, “Hyun-a!” He hastily sprinted towards her with open arms. Hyun-a took notice of this, and her eyes widened.

“Dennis? I—“

Stopping in his tracks, he dramatically gasped, realizing that Min-Jun was beside her. “Dude, there you are!” Dennis hugged him tightly, to Min-Jun’s dismay. 

Hyun-a frowned in disappointment and sighed, “He forgot about me…”

“Jeez, you freakin’ scared me,” Min-Jun grumbled.

“Yeah, sorry, but it’s been forever!” Dennis quipped, “I almost forgot what you looked like!”

“We just saw each other in the club two weeks ago!” Min-Jun cleared his throat, “And let go of me, please…”

“Okay, fine.” Dennis backed away, and faced Hyun-a. “Whoops, I forgot you were there.”

“It’s fine,” She responded. “So, how’s it going?”

“It’s going great! Nothing’s really changed, though. But I just found out that Lisa’s gonna plan a rebellion.”

Overhearing their conversation and making her way there, Lisa gave him a quick glare. 

“Really? I hope she fails, then.” The two of them laughed together, as Min-Jun’s face was plastered with confusion. 

He wanted to ask how Dennis and Hyun-a knew each other, but couldn’t bother to ask. For the past few months, he’s done nothing but try to ignore her. Sure, he talked about it with Rudy a while ago, but to him, that still didn’t resolve the problem. 

Meanwhile, Hyun-a had some trouble apologizing to him, since he wasn’t listening to her. However, they did spend a bit more time together, even if it was against Min-Jun’s will, but it still might’ve been a sign. Hyun-a was also able to convey her feelings to him a lot better. Sure, she had to thank Colston for that, but on second thought, how was Colston doing? They haven’t spoken since the end of school, and since it was the fireworks festival, she figured that he’d be there. To her disappointment, he couldn’t go, so all that was left to do is hang out with her younger cousin, and that already wasn’t going well at all.

“Hey, Hyun-a. Hey, Min.” Rudy waved, and led the others towards the family. 

“Since when did I have a nickname?” Min-Jun questioned, taken aback by Rudy’s words.

“Well, everyone started calling you that. I can stop, though.”

“No, it’s fine.” He subtly teased, “Maybe I should just call you what I used to, then…”

“N-No, please don’t.”

“Anyway,” Hyun-a began, “I would’ve introduced you guys to our siblings, but they’re with Min’s dad. They’re prepping for the fireworks show early. Min, did he tell you anything else?”

Min-Jun faced the opposite direction, and Hyun-a sighed, receiving no response from him.

The Myers siblings could both read the mood (Miette too, surprisingly), and Ruby attempted to lighten things up. 

“So, hey, what do y’all wanna do before the fireworks show? We still have some time left,” She prompted. 

“I dunno...” Rudy muttered.

Miette sulked, “I’d love to help, but I don’t know what you guys like to do.”

“Ah, I got it!” Hyun-a advised, “We could ride on the portable zipline. That’ll be fun, right?”

“I like how you think, Hyun-a! That sounds, like, super dangerous, so I’m in!” Dennis piped, smiling widely.

Lisa reciprocated, “Yeah, same here! I’ll be known as the girl who survived the longest…”

“No, you won’t. Hundreds have rode it already.” Hyun-a mumbled, “And what do you mean by  _ ‘survived… _ ?’”

“That sounds scary, I can’t do that.” Rudy relented, “Sorry, I’m afraid of heights.”

Min-Jun crossed his arms, “But…?”

“But… Wasn’t there supposed to be a band performance tonight? Or is that after the fireworks?”

“I’m pretty sure that they cancelled. They couldn’t make it for some reason,” Miette informed.”

“Man, I really wanted to see that.”

“I bet you just thought that the guys were hot,” Min-Jun hesitantly remarked.

“That’s semi-true. The band is really good at performing, you should’ve seen them last year.”

“Hold up, you went to one of their concerts in person?”

Rudy grinned. “Of course I did, I’ve been a fan for two years. Ever since then, Mamá has bought us tickets to go. Even Ruby is a huge fan.”

“That’s right,” She chimed in. “Why else would I have a bunch of merch, including this shirt I have of ‘em? I knew that I had to wear it here!”

“They look too edgy,” Min-Jun pointed out.

Dennis wrapped his arm around Min-Jun’s shoulder and chuckled, “Well, you’re one to talk, dude.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean? And… personal space!”

“We’re getting off-topic. At this point, we should just go to the family festival zone,” Hyun-a exasperated, shrugging.

_ We already went there twice…  _ Min-Jun mentally complained.

“Well, all we can do is wait for Nagisa and see the fireworks.” Rudy turned over to Ruby and suggested, “We should probably go back to mom. She told us to come back a few minutes before the show.”

“You’re right.” Ruby nodded her head. “Well, I’ll see you guys in a bit!” She and her brother walked off into the distance, heading towards the same food stand their mother was standing by.

“I’ll go looking for the girls, then. Wanna come, Lisa?” Miette offered.

“Yeah, sure!” Lisa assured, “See y’all later,” As she and Miette walked away as well.

“...Everyone’s leaving, so I’m goin’ with somebody,” said Dennis. His eyes slowly met Min-Jun’s, and smugly stared at him. “Can—“

Min-Jun rebuked, “No. Go to someone else.”

*****

The Myers siblings were walking to the same food stand their mother was at, but Ruby had other plans. After thinking it over, she swiftly walked away from Rudy and disappeared into the crowd, attempting to not make it apparent that she left. 

When she was with the others, her worries were suddenly lifted. It wasn’t just Nagisa, anymore. Sure, things might’ve been better with Nagisa, and she felt like she could be honest with them a bit more, but with the club members, Miette, and Hyun-a (despite not knowing her too well), she still felt relief. Now that she was alone, guilt started to overcome her positive emotions, but it would’ve been worse if she was with her brother.

It’s not like Ruby knew where she was going, and she was aware of that. However, she did keep in mind where the fireworks show was going to occur, and where her family was, so there were at least two places for her to head back to. Finding a small area that was distant from the crowd of people, and hidden behind a small building, she decided to hide there, just for a few minutes. 

Assured that nobody had followed her or knew where she was, she let out a sigh of slight relief. She spoke to herself, “Ah, that feels so much better. I’m sorry, bro…”

“Sorry for what?” Ruby heard, coming from a mysterious yet familiar-sounding voice. 

She looked up and stammered, “N-Nagisa? What are you doing here? I thought you were getting here later on!”

“I lied. Just like you do.”

“I—“

“I lied. Drive didn’t take long.”

“...But how did you know that I was here?!”

“I followed you.”

“Oh, okay…”

Nagisa gave her a look of concern, and questioned, “What’re you guilty about now?”

“You’re still worrying about me, huh?”

“It’s bad?”

“No, not at all! That’s actually really nice of you, thanks. I didn’t think you cared that much…” Ruby ran her hand through her hair, her voice softening as she spoke. “But how can you tell that I’m upset?”

“Didn’t know. I just noticed.”

“Oh… But do you really want me to talk about it now? You’re supposed to be having fun, and the fireworks are going off soon. I don’t wanna bother you, or anything…”

“You’re right, I should be going. Bye-bye.” Nagisa abruptly walked away from Ruby, waving goodbye.

“Wait, hold on—“

“You can’t take jokes.” Nagisa turned back around, and flatly added, “It was supposed to be funny. Just like Dennis.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Stop saying that.”

“O-Okay! Uh, do you want me to vent now, or something? I won’t go on for too long, I promise!”

“Go.”

“Alright then… Uhh…” Ruby took a deep breath, and took some time to think of what she was going to say, being as cautious as she usually is.

Up until then, she hadn’t vented her feelings to someone in years, so it felt strange to her. She might’ve been good with having serious or emotional discussions, but the toll they took on her made her feel self-conscious about what she said or felt. But hopefully, that would change today.

“So, this is gonna be a bit hard to say, since you probably have no idea about what’s going on,” She explained. “But… You know Rudy, of course. He… didn’t have too many friends back then. He was a lot shyer, and that’s why. I tried to help, but nothing changed at all. So, a few years later, this was still happening, but around the same time, I wanted to make a club of my own. I mean, I thought that it was all I was good at. But you can probably guess what happened next.”

“You quit school and swam with the fish?”

“No, of course not. I…” Ruby gave up on trying to explain in the best way possible, so she just said what was on her mind. “I let Rudy make one instead. I thought that it’d help him and stuff, which it has. Here I am, thinking about how cool he is… but I’m so selfish. Is it wrong that I still wanna at least lead something for once?”

“I don’t think so. You’d make a cool leader.”

“Really? ‘Cuz now, I don’t feel like I would… I still feel guilty about literally everything.”

“Stop.”

“...I went on for too long, didn’t I?”

“No. Don’t be guilty. Is Rudy happy?”

“I mean, yeah, he’s been happier than usual. He really likes being in the club, and all that. But—“

“Who gave him the idea to start it?”

“...I did.”

“Who helped him through bad stuff?”

_ “...I did _ . Yeah, I’ve tried to help him all this time.”

Nagisa nodded. “So?”

“Oh my god, he thanked me with those cupcakes when summer started! He also thanks me when we’re at home, and at school, and…” In realization, she mentally facepalmed and gasped, “God, I’ve just been making him worry ‘cuz of how weird I’ve been acting!”

“Don’t think you’re selfish. You’re not hurting him. You should be happy. Like the girl I saw on TV.”

Ruby beamed, “Yeah, you’re right! If he’s happy, then so am I! You’re, like, the smartest person ever, Nagisa!”

“Wait, what?”

“But I still don’t know what to do. What if I still wanna make a club, or lead a sports team, or… I dunno, just something. I’m still not good at anything. I’ve literally tried to find my stupid talent for years…”

“Make yourself good at something.”

“...What?”

“Make yourself good at something. The power of your mind. Heard that somewhere.”

“So, you’re just telling me to believe in myself…?”

“I dunno.”

“Good enough!” Ruby piped, brimming with enthusiasm, “Okay, so…  _ I can swim. I can ride a tricycle. I can run at the speed of sound.  _ Yeah, I can play video games for the rest of my life!”

“Good. Believe you don’t die.”

“What a genius…! Thank you so much, Nagisa!” Ruby embraced Nagisa in a hug, smiling widely and closing her eyes. After a few seconds had passed, she spoke, backing away, “I feel so much better now… Dang, I feel like a totally different person! Is this what being enlightened feels like?”

“Maybe.”

“Ahah, you’re funny.” Out of nowhere, Ruby’s expression turned melancholic.

Nagisa took notice of this. “...You’re lying.”

“Huh?”

“You just lied again. You fake laughed.”

“...No, I didn’t. I’m telling the truth.”

“You still look sad. I can tell.”

Caught in the act, Ruby let out a sigh and solemnly looked downwards. “...Ahah, you got me. I’m sorry. I just thought being funny like that would lighten the mood.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Yeah… I just… I know just saying things like that won’t make me good at anything. I’ve just tried for years, and that’s how I am. Sometimes I feel like the world is totally against me, y’know? Like… I wanna help Rudy, but at the same time, it… it hurts.”

“Ruby.”

“...Yeah?”

“Don’t be sad. Don’t lie. I love you.”

“W-What...?”

“...Ignore what I said at the end. We all love you, like we love fish. Rudy would be sad if he saw you being sad. Being sad isn’t good, and it doesn’t make people happy. Be happy like a fish.”

“I… All I can do is be fake happy. And to be happy for real… it seems impossible at this point, but… I’ll try. I’m surprised you care about me so much. I mean, Rudy made the club with you, and you guys became really good friends.”

“You’re a different friend. You’re more than that. When I got ice cream with you, I was very happy. I want you to feel happy like I was before. Think about pizza, video games, and tennis balls.”

Ruby lightly chuckled, “I think you mean soccer balls.”

“Think about the sun, too. Circles are like balls, and the sun is a big yellow ball.”

“If I played soccer with the sun, my leg would be burned off!”

Nagisa cracked a smile and chuckled along with her. “That would be bad.”

Ruby’s voice suddenly dropped, mumbling, “...I don’t think it’d be super bad, though. Maybe it’d be okay. I deserve it.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing, nothing!” Ruby grabbed Nagisa’s hand and pointed to the sky. “Let’s go see the fireworks!”

“Let’s watch them from here.”

“Oh, how come? Don’t you wanna be with everyone else?”

“You’re sad. I wanna be with you.”

“Oh…” Ruby walked closer to Nagisa, their faces only centimeters apart. “You really care about me that much?”

“Yes. I don’t lie.”

“...Thank you.” After what felt like an hour of staring into each other’s eyes, Ruby took a step away and sat on the ground. “I’m just gonna sit right here. I’ve been walking and standing in place this entire night. I’m starting to get a little exhausted.”

“Sitting is fun.” Nagisa sat beside her and leaned onto her shoulder. “Here is… better. It’s not super loud.”

“Really? I’m not annoying you with my rambling or anything?”

“I like talking to you. Your voice is pretty.”

“O-Oh, thank you.”

“It reminds me of a fish I met. Her name is Diamond.”

“Oh.” Ruby chuckled and grinned at Nagisa. “Well, can you tell me more about Diamond?”

“Yes. She’s very pretty, and she likes the rain. One day, I played with her in the fish tank, and when it rained, she was dancing. She does it a lot.”

“She sounds like a pretty cool fish to me. Does she like pizza?”

“Well…”

As they continued to converse, once the fireworks went off, they stared up at the beautiful sights before them. Ruby never imagined that she’d ever experience something like this.

She figured that having her first love, spending time with her friends, or feeling joy in playing sports were things that could never happen. Besides, it wasn’t like she had any significance anymore. All she could do was continue to sacrifice her own self for everyone and everything surrounding her, even if it meant that she would simply turn into nothing in the end. But at least Nagisa made her happy, even if it wasn’t for that long.


	16. Our Goals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The members of the Anime Club spend time together before school begins.

“I can’t believe summer is almost over,” Lisa groaned, her head laying on the desk. “What happened to the drama? The romance? Summer love?! Is that a thing?”

Min-Jun commented, “I mean, did you seriously expect a ‘hot guy’ to fall from the sky?”

“I know the difference between fiction and reality, Min. I was over-exaggerating.” She sighed, “Ah, it’d be great if that could happen though…”

“Time’s flown by. Y’know, it doesn’t really feel like school’s coming back, since we’re still in the clubroom,” said Ruby.

Dennis exclaimed, “True, but imagine how weird it is for those peeps in summer school! I definitely can’t relate to them. No way I can.” 

“You told me that you were  _ this close _ to getting into summer school,” Min-Jun corrected. 

“Hey, where do they have summer school if we’re in here?” Ruby asked.

Lisa replied, “In some other building, where elementary is. On the last day of school, Miette and I were talking for a bit before I went over here, and we saw some teachers talking to a kids’ parents, too.”

“Thank god only clubs can hang around here,” Min-Jun mumbled. “I’d rather stay with y’all than be around those other kids, they’re stupid.”

“You just said that you’d rather stay with us,” Rudy pointed out, eyes widening.

“Well, obviously. You aren’t terrible people. Not so sure about Lisa, though…”

“Hey, just because I wanna declare war on some people, doesn’t mean that I’m a terrible person! You’re totally just targeting me ‘cuz you’re jealous,” Lisa jabbed.

“What’s there to be jealous of?”

“Uh, how popular I am.”

“C’mon, y’know that’s not how it goes!” Dennis butted in. “Rudy is the popular one, and Min-Jun gets mad at him! You’re just the pink girl!”

“‘Pink girl?!’ I’m not the ‘pink girl,’ I’m the co-leader,” Lisa whined.

Min-Jun recalled,  _ Reminds me of when Nagisa called me ‘Yellow Guy.’ _

To change the subject, Rudy asked, “So… School starts next week. What do you guys wanna do?”

“Hm, something fun obviously.” Ruby gasped, “After this, Min-Jun, Rudy, Dennis and Nagisa are gonna have their last year of middle school!”

“Woah, it doesn’t feel like that at all!” Dennis lifted his head in thought, “But maybe I can skip a grade…” 

“I doubt that,” Min-Jun muttered.

“I have an idea!” Lisa suggested, “Let’s stop by a music store and get some instruments! Then, y’all can listen to my piano-playing, make music for me, and—“

“Jazz?” Nagisa questioned, perking up to Lisa’s words.

“...Nah, jazz kinda sucks. I was thinking of cutesy-rock, or something like that.”

“How about metal?” Dennis asked.

Lisa glared at him. “Dude, you’re loopy.”

“Let’s go to an arcade.” Min-Jun flatly replied. 

“What do you think, Nagisa?” Ruby asked.

Min-Jun rolled his eyes, “Why am I being ignored again…?”

Nagisa chimed in, “The aquarium. We’re going there. We have to.”

“Uh…” Rudy took some time to think over his question. He liked everyone’s ideas, but they could never do them all in one day. Or could they?

He declared, “I have an idea. We can do what everyone wants today, but we'll cut it short. So… No aquarium. Sorry Nagisa,” He relented.

Nagisa felt a pang of disappointment, but ignored it and nodded in response.

Lisa sprang up, “Can we go to a karaoke booth? I love going to those!”

Ruby followed suit, “Let’s go see a movie!”

“Yeah, perfect!” Dennis questioned, “Does everyone here like action?”

“An action movie would be fine. There’s a lot of those,” said Min-Jun. “...But we’re really making these decisions without me, aren’t we?”

“Can we go to the karaoke booth after that, then?” Lisa asked.

“Yeah,” Rudy assured, “Right after the movie. Depends on how long it is, though.”

“Great! So, which movie theater?”

“Alamo, I guess.”

Min-Jun rebuked, “No, no, wait, there’s no way we’re going there.”

Lisa confusedly asked, “Why not?”

“Oh, I get why,” Rudy mumbled.

“Rudy remembers what I told him.” Min-Jun murmured, his tone of voice lowering, “I don’t trust that place… I feel like the people there are gonna commit a crime someday. Like a scandal.” 

“I won’t blame you for thinking that, but you don’t trust  _ anyone… _ ”

“That’s not true. Want me to call you guys felons?”

“No, please don’t.”

“Hey, I just realized,” Ruby commented, “But remember that ice cream place we went to, Nagisa? I could’ve sworn that the karaoke booth was around there!”

Nagisa concurred, “Yeah, it was there.”

“That’s convenient, we already know what to do after that, then.” Min-Jun replied. “Do everything without me…”

Dennis dramatically gasped, “You guys went to buy ice cream and you didn’t tell me?! That’s betrayal!”

“It’s not betrayal if they went by themselves,” Lisa corrected.

“What do you mean? That’s just cruel!”

Lisa facepalmed and sighed, “It’s because they were on a date. Right?” She inquired.

“No, we were doing… stuff,” Ruby muttered.

“C’mon, I bet Nagisa doesn’t even know what that is.” Min-Jun rolled his eyes. “Lemme guess: Right now, they’re thinking of a plant.”

“All hail Min-Jun. Reader of minds.” Nagisa quipped. Of course, nobody could tell if they were being serious or not.

“...You say the weirdest crap sometimes.”

“So, I’ll go over what we’re doing,” Rudy announced. “First is the movie, then after that is the karaoke booth, ice cream stand, and… Anything else?” 

“The park. It’s nice outside,” Nagisa proposed. 

“The park? Are you sure…?”

Ruby noticed both of their frowns, and wanted to consider what Rudy felt. But…

“Sorry bro, but I feel like we should do what Nagisa wants. I don’t think it’s fair if we don’t let ‘em suggest anything.”

“You’re right, that’s fine.” Rudy smiled. “We’re going to the park, then.”

“I’m so excited! This is gonna be the best day ever!” Dennis paused and exclaimed, “Wait, I’ve just had an epic pony!”

“‘Epic pony?’ What the heck?” Min-Jun cringed.

“Don’t you mean ‘epiphany…?’” Rudy chuckled.

“Yeah, that!” Dennis snickered, “Y’know what would make this day even better?”

Min-Jun grumbled, “Oh no… Guys, don’t listen to—“

“Let’s vandalize the girls’ bathroom!”

“NO!”

“Oh yeah, Hyun-a told you to stop that…” Rudy cautioned, his eyebrows furrowing.

“That mad woman tells you everything... It was a harmless act, for real! People do it all the time, anyway!” Dennis complained.

“...I feel uncomfortable now. I don’t wanna be here,” Lisa mumbled. 

Ruby pulled out her phone and inquired, “U-Uh, so which movie do y’all wanna see? Dennis said ‘action,’ right?”

“Yeah, it has to be an action movie!” He replied. “Those other ones are too boring, y’know? Something twisty.”

“Ninja Turtles,” Nagisa beamed.

Min-Jun stuttered, “T-That’s… An interesting choice.”

“If I Stay! It’s a romance!” Lisa blurted.

“Ew, romance.”

“It’s better than Ninja Turtles. They look ugly.”

“Ruby really likes sports, so maybe we can watch When the Game Stands Tall!” Dennis turned to face Ruby, and grinned widely.

She smiled back and replied, “That sounds good! Rudy, what do you wanna watch?”

“Hmm… Either Magic in the Moonlight, or what Lisa said,” Rudy replied.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Lisa piped.

“Last time you watched a romance movie, you told me that you cried,” Min-Jun teased.

Rudy lowered his head and mumbled, “Those things make me cry. You too.”

“What?! I did not! T-That's a false accusation!”

Ruby’s eyes were half-lidded, as she stared at her phone screen waiting for a definite answer. “...Ninja Turtles?”

Everyone but Nagisa and Rudy groaned, but knew that it was their only option at this point. They all eventually nodded, and Ruby ordered the tickets through her phone. 

She informed them, “Okay, the movie starts in an hour. We should probably head over to the theater in a bit.”

“Yeah, yeah! But isn’t it gonna be a super long walk? I can’t walk for an entire hourrrrr…” Dennis complained.

“You nuts? It won’t take  _ that _ long,” Min-Jun assured. “Anyway, why don’t we just take Rudy’s limo? They’re rich and stuff, so…”

“Good idea,” Rudy said, “I’ll call my mom so she can pick us up here.”

“...I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“I just can’t wait for the karaoke! I can show off how good I am at singing!” Lisa exclaimed. 

Rudy asked, “What about your piano-playing? How’s that going?”

“U-Uh, perfectly fine! I can do anything, after all! I don’t think I’ll need help anymore!”

“Well, you said earlier that you wanted us to make music for you. If you really wanna make a band, then—“

“Genius! Genius! When school starts again, I’m gonna ask everyone in my class! Starting with you!”

“Wait, what…?”

“Here we go…” She took a deep breath and blurted, “Play the guitar for me, and I’ll give ya some money!”

“...No thanks, sorry. I can’t do that in front of a crowd.”

“Not even for money? Not even for one of my  _ limited edition _ figurines?”

“I can’t.”

“Man, you’re no fun.”

*****

“Ahh, we’re here! It’s so hot but pretty outside!” Ruby beamed. She hopped out of the car after the others. 

“It’s  _ too _ hot,” Lisa complained, “My eyes are burning…”

“We would’ve been here earlier when it was cooler if Rudy’s mom didn’t turn the wrong way,” Min-Jun grumbled, crossing his arms. 

“I totally heard that!” The Myers siblings’ mother waved and lowered the window. “But está bien, have fun y’all!”

Rudy waved back and replied, “Bye Mamá.” Ruby was too busy admiring the scenery to notice.

For  _ some reason,  _ Nagisa was intensely staring at a tree, and looked over to Min-Jun. “Hey. The tree you fell from.”

He rebuked, “I-I never fell from a tree.”

“You did. Don’t fall from it again.” Nagisa bent down on their knees and picked up a piece of bread from the ground. “Take this. It’ll help.”

“How the heck is a piece of bread supposed to help?”

“It looks like an upside-down bu—“

“How is THAT supposed to help either?!”

“ _ Shiri _ is ‘know.’ Oh, shiri.”

“...At least your jokes are better than Dennis’.” 

As if he were responding to a call, Dennis hollered, “Min-Jun fell from a tree?! Tell me what happened! All of it!”

“I can’t believe you.”

“Hey, the movie’s gonna start soon. We should probably get to the theater now,” Rudy reminded.

“Yeah… I think I’m gonna die of heatstroke…” Lisa groaned, scratching her head. “God, my hair…”

“You should be fine. It’s only eighty-eight degrees out here. Imagine how bad it was in Puerto Rico.”

“Yeah, and imagine how bad it was in Japan! It was terrible, I almost died…”

Rudy asserted under his breath, “We came here to have fun. No more complaining.”

“Fine.”

Opening the two front doors, the group walked into the theater, and scanned their tickets for the movie. A cool atmosphere fell upon them, and Lisa let out a sigh of relief.

“Ah, it’s cold and I love it!” She exclaimed. 

“Why does it feel so spacious?” Min-Jun questioned.

Rudy replied, “Probably because they had renovations. A lot of places do that before summer starts.”

“We haven’t been to the movies in forever, bro! This feels so weird… We usually just watch some movies on the TV.“

“What kinds?” Nagisa inquired.

“Comedy and sports. That’s what I mainly watch, anyway. Rudy just watches a bunch of romance.”

“Too much romance…” Min-Jun muttered. He chuckled, “Hah, he’s always rooting for the guy to get with another guy.” 

Rudy raised his eyebrow and gravelly spoke, “I have rights.” 

“We have enough time to buy some snacks. Want some chocolate?” Dennis offered. “I call dibs on the popcorn though.”

“Chocolate?!” Lisa gasped. “How many bars do they have left? I wanna buy them all! Can you lend me some of your money, Ruby?”

“Uh… If it makes you happy, then sure.” Ruby pulled out her wallet from her pocket, and counted her money. She was interrupted by Dennis, who immediately took her and Lisa’s hands.

“Great! C’mon you two, let’s buy so much candy, we’ll get cavities!” Dennis excitedly rushed towards the line, alongside Ruby and Lisa. 

Rudy commented, “That’s… Actually really bad. Your blood sugar will—“

“Ah forget it, Rudy.” Min-Jun sighed. “We can’t talk ‘em out of it. Just let them get a heart disease.”

“I’m not saying that they’re gonna die. There’s just a  _ risk.” _

“Well it’s a good thing I’m not taking that risk, or else you’d be all over me…”

“It’d be the same for everyone else.”

“Sure, sure. What do you think about dying from a heart disease as soon as you eat sugar, Nagisa?”

“Now you’re making me sound insane.”

Nagisa replied, “I’d kill the heart disease. It’ll go  _ ka-blam,  _ like in an action movie.”

“That’s not very realistic…” Rudy sighed.

Dennis and the other two girls returned with a handful of candy bars and popcorn.

Making it there just in time to overhear the conversation, Dennis butted in, crossing his arms, “Hmm, but it  _ could _ be possible! Anything can be possible! Hey, did you know that women—“

“What I said was supposed to be  _ a joke.  _ So can we  _please_ stop talking about heart diseases and get to the movie?!” Min-Jun ordered. 

“Y’all have the  _ weirdest _ conversations. Man, I’m the only normal one here…” Lisa faked a complaint.

“Huh? You’re the ‘normal one?’” Dennis bantered. “I thought you—” 

“Aha, let’s watch the movie,” Rudy suggested, nervously laughing. He knew that if the conversation went on any longer, they’d probably miss the movie. 

And so, they made their way into the theater, and took a seat. Sadly, Ruby had to sit in the very back, far away from the others, since there were barely any seats left. Blaming her ‘bad luck’ was a crime apparently, so she just took it as a ‘coincidence,’ and a bad one at that. 

Surprisingly enough, Nagisa paid close attention to the movie the whole entire time, yet on the other hand, Lisa couldn’t stay awake. It was either because anything other than a romance movie was boring to her, or practicing on her piano the whole night before took a toll on her. Min-Jun resisted the urge to criticize the film out loud, and it was driving him crazy. Rudy spent all his time admiring the special effects, but Ruby couldn’t, since… y’know, she couldn’t see anything. Hilarious.

*****

“Huh, that actually wasn’t terrible,” Min-Jun said under his breath as he signed. 

“Based on what I could hear, the turtle who likes pizza is my favorite. He’s super relatable!” Ruby exclaimed.

“Same, same!” Dennis reciprocated. “Man, that truck scene was awesome! It’s, like, the best scene from the movie! How’d you like it, Rudy?”

Rudy replied, “It was really impressive. That Shredder fight scene was really cool.” 

“Well, tell me, who’s your favorite?!” 

“Hmm… Leonardo, I guess. Donatello is pretty neat, too.”

“But, I mean, mean, isn’t it obvious why this movie has bad ratings?” Min-Jun asked, and cringed. “It’s not a terrible movie, but it’s… lame. Everything is so predictable. Michael Bay ruined it.”

“I mean, I don’t really hate him, but you should see how bad his Twitter is. There’s legit so much goin’ on there,” Dennis chuckled, shrugging.

“That was boring!” Lisa groaned. “There’s a reason why I fell asleep halfway through. I’m surprised that you survived, Min.”

“Well, I gotta get used to this now…” He mumbled in response.

“Raph is cool. He’s like Yellow Guy,” Nagisa commented. 

“You’re  _ still  _ gonna call me that? I have a name, y’know.”

“Ahh, a turtle.” 

“At least try to sound surprised.” 

“Oh my god,” Lisa gasped, “I just remembered! It’s karaoke booth time! The moment I’ve been waiting for is finally here!”

Dennis snickered, “You just wanna flex, dont’cha?” 

“You bet I do!”

“Glad you’re happy.” Rudy softly smiled and checked his phone for the time. “It’s close by, so it’ll only take us a little bit to get there.”

“Awesome! I’m excited too, Lisa! I’ve actually never been to one of these before,” Ruby added.

“It’s, like, super fun!” Lisa explained, “Miette and I go to the karaoke booth every weekend. Even  _ she _ thinks that my singing is perfect!” 

“We’ll see about that… My followers would say otherwise,” Dennis challenged.

“Hah, yeah, we’ll see!”

Min-Jun didn’t want to extinguish everyone else’s excitement. He really didn’t. But between bumming them out last minute, or telling them now, he’d rather just speak up, since he had the opportunity.

“Uh… I’m not that good at singing, though. Can I just watch or something?” He asked. 

_ Wait, why am I so worried about this? I’m just asking a question... _

“What are you talking about? Your singing is awesome!” Ruby grinned widely. “Rudy and I walked in on you singing a nursery rhyme a few years ago!”

“A-Are you trying to embarrass me?! Don’t say that in front of them!”

Dennis dramatically gasped and put his hands over his mouth. “Woah, he isn’t denying it!”

“Sing Ghost Family,” Nagisa demanded.

“No way.” Min-Jun averted his eyes from the group.

Rudy recalled, “Oh, I remember… We used to run around the park all the time, and you were obsessed with climbing trees.” He mumbled, “I thought I was gonna die that one time…”

“I can climb trees too!” Lisa blurted.

“...Okay.”

Ruby exclaimed, “Oh yeah! Min really liked those creepy nursery rhymes! Like Ring Around the—“

“Ughhhh,” Min-Jun squeaked, attempting to hide his face. “Quit it! Stop embarrassing me!” 

“Sorry, sorry. I just thought that I’d mention it. Still, you’re really good at singing! It’s fine if you don’t wanna.”

_ Why are they so good at guilt-tripping me? _

Once Min-Jun started thinking about it, singing in front of them wouldn’t be too bad. Sure, they’re annoying, but it's not like they’ll hurt him or anything, right?

He let out a sigh and grumbled, “...I’ll do it.” 

“Really?! Yay!”

“Anything we need before we go?” Rudy inquired, double-checking his bag.

“Hmm… Nope! Let’s go!” Lisa hurriedly ran out of the movie theater, leaving the others behind.

As she ran, Rudy warned, “Wait, you’re gonna—“

“Bump into someone? Never! I—“

Surely enough, Lisa bumped into a random stranger. How unpredictable.

*****

The Anime Club entered the karaoke booth, and sat at the couch. Nagisa went ahead and grabbed the remote, and turned everything on. 

“Ahh, I’m so excited!” Lisa squealed.

Rudy looked towards her and inquired, “Don’t you come here every weekend?”

“Yeah, but it feels different going with other people! Besides, none of yall have heard my singing before.”

Min-Jun rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Is that call you care about? Us listening to your singing?”

Lisa huffed, “Nagisa thinks I’m, like, super talented. Right?”

“Sure,” Nagisa replied, “Sauce is good.”

“...You misheard me, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“I didn’t mean  _ tare,  _ I meant  _ talented. _ I thought you knew that word…”

Dennis put his hands behind his head, and leaned against the couch’s back pillows. “Soooo, what song are we gonna choose first? And who goes first?”

Ruby suggested, “Should the oldest go first?” 

“That’s me,” said Nagisa.

This grabbing Min-Jun’s attention, he berated, “Hey, that’s not fair! I said I’d sing, but not very last!”

“Ah, I get it! That’d be even more embarrassing, right? Go first, then!” Dennis nudged Min-Jun’s shoulder, and chuckled.

“Wait, what?”

“Sing Ghost Family.” Nagisa requested.

“N-No! Can’t I just be in the middle, or something?”

Lisa bore a smug look on her face, and shrugged. “C’mon, wouldn’t it be better to just get it over with?” 

“No…” Min-Jun turned to face the other way and pouted.

Rudy, who was sitting next to him, tapped on the couch’s cushion to grab his attention, and asked, “Hey, let’s sing a duet. Would that be better?”

Min-Jun looked his way. “A duet…? I mean, that’d be better, but—“

“I believe in you two!” Ruby piped.

Min-Jun mumbled, “You’re straight up just gonna throw me into this, are you?” 

“Just go already! “Choose a song,” Dennis urged, “I can’t wait any longer!” 

Min-Jun finally surrendered and huffed, “...Fine. You’re choosing, Rudy. Don’t you dare pick a baby song.”

“I won’t…” Rudy replied. Nagisa handed him the remote, so he could select a song. 

Ruby questioned, “Oh, you’re gonna choose metal, right?”

Lisa cringed and spat, “Ew. I thought that was Dennis’ thing, anyway. Don’t tell me—“

“What do you have against metal?!” Dennis whined.

Nagisa stated, “This Jazz Man.”

Min-Jun grimaced. “Hold up, that’s a kids’ song! What do you listen to in your free time?!” 

“ _ He plays rhythm with his thumb… _ ” Nagisa hummed in response.

“Now you’re just saying the lyrics!”

While they were talking, Rudy took his time to choose a song. Eventually coming across a song he knew Min-Jun liked, he stopped and asked, “Hey, is this song good? You like it?”

“Yeah,” Min-Jun replied, “it’s fine. You know the lyrics?”

“No, not really. I just wanted to know if you knew it.”

“Jeez… Choose one you know. It’s not that hard, I don’t really care.”

“Okay… Hmm…” After scrolling down for a short while, Rudy landed on a song that was familiar to him. “Found one.”

“Yaaay! You can do it guys!” Ruby encouraged.

“I’ll just be recording…” Dennis swiftly pulled out his phone and switched to the camera, only to be interrupted by Min-Jun.

He mentally facepalmed. “Please don’t.”

“It’s not like y’all can beat me,” Lisa boasted, “But... do your best!”

Rudy sighed, “This isn’t a competition, Lisa.” 

“Well, it isn’t ‘til you make it one!”

…..

Ruby clapped for Rudy and Min-Jun’s performance. “That was awesome! Ten-outta-ten!”

Dennis grumbled, “Aww man, I really wanted to record that!”

Lisa sighed and commented with a flat tone, “Yeah, that was good. I’m worried that I’ll be beat…”

“Thanks.” Rudy smiled and looked towards Min-Jun. “Wasn’t that fun, Min?”

“Yeah, yeah,” He replied. “Thank god.”

“Yellow Guy: God among gods,” Joked Nagisa.

“...Okay.”

Rudy questioned, “So, who’s going ne—“

“RUBY! Team up with me, now!” Lisa raised her hand and waved it rapidly, drawing everyone’s attention towards herself.

“Okay, but why?” Ruby asked.

“Because being a duet is the only way I— I mean,  _ we’ll _ win. C’mon, choose the hardest song here! High notes and everything!” Lisa stole the remote, and handed it to Ruby.

“Wait, then that means…!” Dennis looked over to Nagisa. “Hey, Nagisa! Let’s sing ‘This Jazz Man!’”

Min-Jun mentally facepalmed. “I can’t believe you guys…”

Nagisa nodded their head. “Yes. The grand finale.” They lifted their hand, and gave Dennis a high-five. Min-Jun figured it was a ‘symbol of their unity.’

“Shouldn’t our performance be the grand finale?” Lisa asked.

“‘Performance?’” Ruby stammered, “U-Uh, Lisa, this is just—“

Dennis hollered, “Hey, let’s all sing In Due Time at the end! Everyone knows that song!”

“More metal?!” Min-Jun sighed out of annoyance and looked downwards. 

“Maybe something slower, like Endless Love…?” Rudy asked. 

Nagisa pronounced a line from their suggestion. “ _ Give the man a hand.” _

Lisa dramatically gasped in reply, “A hand?! Oh my god, is someone’s hand gonna be taken off? Are they gonna lose it?!”

“Jesus, I hope they find it!” Dennis quipped.

“What the hell you guys?!” Min-Jun wasn’t taking it.

“...This is actually better than I thought it’d be,” Rudy began.

“Yeah,” Ruby commented, “We aren’t killing each other yet.”

“W-Why would you think that?”

“I mean, this all started over picking a song. We’re different in many ways, and we might argue a lot, but it’s the inside that counts.”

Min-Jun spat, “ _Jagi banseong...?_ Are you a poet now?! ”

…..

Lisa crossed her arms. “Wow, that was… Interesting.”

“I never thought that watching two teens singing a nursery song would be entertaining,” Min-Jun stated.

“I can make it work!” Dennis winked, “Right, Nagisa?”

“We’re unstoppable.” Nagisa proclaimed, “We’re the Blue Oranges.”

“Woah, that sounds nice! That should totally be our band name!”

Min-Jun questioned, “A band? Already?”

“That was really good,” Ruby nervously laughed, “But I could barely hear you, Nagi.”

Nagisa replied, “The Blue Oranges don’t sing for red.”

“Aww man.”

Min-Jun huffed, “Y’all get weirder everyday, I swear.”

“Maybe…” Rudy mumbled. “There’s a good kind of weird, though.”

“Sure, but Lisa’s the weirdest, and not in a good way.”

“...O-Okay,” Lisa blurted, “C’mon Ruby! Let’s show ‘em who’s the weirdest! We’re gonna win this thing!”

“W-Wait, if this is a competition, then who’s last so far?” Ruby asked. She was obviously overwhelmed, but it’s not like Lisa could tell.

“Dennis.”

“I was in a duet!” Dennis clarified.

Rudy asked, “Can’t we drop the competition thing and just have fun? That’s why we’re here, Lisa.”

“Aww,” Lisa whined, “Aren’t competitions fun, though?”

Rudy stated in a stern voice, “No. They’re the death of me.”

“...I get ya.”

*****

The group arrived at the park, after walking there from the karaoke booth. 

Ruby stretched her arms and sighed out of satisfaction, “We’re here! Man, I still can’t stop thinking about earlier!”

“I know, right? That was super damp!” Dennis exclaimed.

_ What’s with this new slang? Am I really losing it…? _ Spoke Lisa’s internal voice.

Rudy observed the area and informed, “So, I guess we have to wait in line. It’s pretty long, though.”

“Man, this is gonna take ages,” Dennis complained. “I’m starving! I want my ice creammmm…”

“We have no choice. It isn’t  _ that  _ bad, either. It’ll probably take only five minutes.”

“He’s right,” Min-Jun agreed, nodding his head. “Let’s just talk about whatever.”

Dennis suggested, “Ooh, Lisa, go on about how good you are at the piano!”

Lisa beamed, “Good idea! I—“

“Don’t encourage it,” Min-Jun interrupted.

“Hey, if y’all wanna talk, then you can sit at a table or something.” Ruby turned around to face the group. “Nagisa and I can order, so what do y’all want?”

Min-Jun crossed his arms. “Uh, I dunno. I—“

“Chocolate for all of us!” Dennis hollered, raising his hand.

“I…”

…..

As the others were sitting at a table, Ruby and Nagisa walked to them, and held everyone’s orders in their hands. 

“Hey! Sorry it took so long, there was a squirrel, and uh…” Ruby stammered, “I-It’s weird.”

“It hated me.” Nagisa stated. 

“There y’all are!” Dennis waved and slouched in his seat. “Lisa’s talking about how much she hates the boys in her class.”

“Yeah, ‘cuz being insensitive is fine,” Min-Jun commented.

“I’m being serious! They’re super immature! They don’t even listen to a thing I say, either!” Lisa grumbled, “And get this… I gave one of ‘em something for Valentine’s Day, and guess what he did? He threw it away!”

As Lisa spoke, Ruby and Nagisa handed everyone their ice cream, and sat down at the table.

“Maybe he just didn’t like it…?” Rudy cautiously asked. 

“You seriously can’t be standing up for this guy. He’s the worst.”

“...What’s his name?”

Lisa groaned in response, “Ugh, Albert. He’s always been the biggest jerk. On that day, I thought that I’d might as well be nice, but  _ no,  _ he just  _ had  _ to throw it away.”

“I mean, it only happened once, so chill out about it. It won’t happen again if you don’t hang around him,” Min-Jun advised.

“I have no choice! He literally sits next to me! Instead of totally  _ destroying _ that other class, at this point, I just wanna move seats.”

“Wow. If you’re saying that, you must really hate that dude.”

Rudy thought,  _ Well, this is awkward. _

Lisa noticed his expression and questioned, “Huh? What’s wrong?”

He mumbled, “I actually used to like him… Before I knew he was a jerk.”

“Hah, this is funny ‘cuz I don’t know what ‘yall are talking about,” Dennis quipped. 

“Albert?” Ruby asked, licking her ice cream. “Ohhh, I know him. He lent me his pencil  _ way  _ too many times.”

“What?!” Lisa gasped, “He lends you a pencil but throws away my gift? Nothing makes sense anymore…”

“Albert…” Nagisa stated, “That’s my seal.”

Min-Jun grimaced confusedly. “Say what?”

“My seal in the aquarium. He’s Albert.”

Ruby chuckled, “Hahah, that’s neat! It’d make sense to name all those fish when you have so many…” Somehow, that fact felt charming to her. 

“Lemme guess, you’re emotionally attached to this…‘seal?’” Min-Jun questioned.

Nagisa replied, “Yup. For months. I love him.”

“Well,” Dennis bantered, “I’m glad that you’ve already found your own partner.”

Lisa began, “Ah, y’know who I’d want as a partner?” 

She and Rudy spoke in unison, “Reese…”

“Here we go.” Min-Jun rolled his eyes and braced for the worst.

Lisa exclaimed, “He’s, like, the coolest guy ever! He’s amazing! Not to mention really nice, popular, and cute, too!”

“I haven’t really talked to him yet, but he seems like an awesome guy,” Rudy added.

“Hold on, have you even talked to him yet, Lisa?” Min-Jun inquired.

“Of course not!” She mumbled, “I mean, he’s already in highschool, so it’d be hard to…”

“Wow. Just approach him already.”

“That’s impossible! I’m not popular enough, so what’ll he think of me? I’m not some random girl!”

_ Well, to tons of people, you are,  _ thought Min-Jun. 

“Uh, guys?” Ruby reminded them, “The ice cream’s gonna melt…” She stared down at everyone else’s ice cream, and sighed.

Lisa’s eyes widened. “Whoops.”

“I’m done,” Nagisa proclaimed.

Min-Jun murmured, “That was fast.”

Everyone (besides Nagisa and Ruby) hurriedly attempted to finish up their ice cream, before it could melt from the heat.

“This tastes pretty good,” Rudy commented, bringing an end to the silence. “I can see why this place is so popular.”

“Yeah! It’s only open during the summer, apparently. That’s how Nagisa and I got to go last month,” Ruby informed.

“Only during the summer, huh?” Dennis wondered, “How do they stay open though? You’d hafta wait a long time to get money for the business!”

“I’ve seen a couple of stores do that. Like, they only open for certain seasons or holidays.” Lisa recalled, “I saw some sorta Halloween store one time. They were selling these super cute outfits!”

“‘Kay, but do y’all go to Gamestop? Anyone?” Min-Jun asked, desperate for an answer.

“I buy my video games online,” Ruby replied.

“Of course…”

“It’s hot,” Nagisa muttered.

Ruby suggested, “Why don’t you take your jacket off, then?”

“I need it.”

“You might get a heatstroke.” Rudy babbled, “If you’re too hot, heat waves can damage your brain and—“

“They’re not gonna die, chill.” Min-Jun laid his head on the table. “Just take the jacket off, dude.”

“Ooh, I know what happens next! You can also faint!” Dennis blurted.

Lisa cringed and got up from her seat. “...Alright, keep talking about that. Nagisa and I are gonna bail.”

“It’s probably a good idea if we don’t hang around the park today,” Rudy advised. “It’s burning hot.” He mumbled to himself, “I don’t think Lisa can survive this.”

“What do you mean?” Lisa asked. “I’m not hot at all, I’m just bored.” She sat back down and groaned.

“Sure, sure.” Min-Jun lifted his head, “And Rudy’s right, so where are we gonna go then?”

Dennis hollered, “Like I said earlier! We’re gonna vandalize the girls’ bathroom!”

The others stated in unison, “No.”

Rudy continued, “But yeah, we should go. It’s already getting late. The movie started later than we thought.”

“Aww man,” Dennis groaned, “I wanted a reprise of that…  _ song _ .”

“Dude, you forgot the name of it?” Min-Jun questioned.

“I thought you’d remember! You sang nursery rhymes all the time.”

“D-Don’t bring that up.”

“Well,” Lisa asked, “Your mom is gonna pick us up, right Ruby?”

“Yeah, I just gotta call her. I hope she isn’t busy or anything.” Ruby pulled out her phone and viewed her contacts.

“She probably is,” Rudy added. “She’s always watching a telenovela around this time…”

“Ohh, those are soap operas, right?” Dennis snickered, “Are they really just about soap, or…?”

Ruby looked up and replied, “Nope! It’s just a really dramatic sitcom, basically. There’s alotta feels involved, too.” She quietly whispered to Rudy, “ _ Todavía no puedo creer que Santiago haya muerto…” _

“What?” Min-Jun was beyond confused.

Lisa exclaimed, “I think I’ve watched one before. A lot of ‘em have a bunch of romance, so that’s perfect!”

“The romance can get a bit too extreme though… So I only watch the dramatic parts,” said Rudy.

“That sounds weird coming from you.” Min-Jun averted his eyes and took a final bite from his cone. 

“Fish documentaries,” Nagisa stated, “I watch those.” 

“Hey, I gave one of those a watch. It was actually pretty relaxing.”

“You became one with the ocean.”

“...I don’t think so.”

“Man, that’s the deepest thing I’ve ever heard! You could be a poet, Nagisa!” Dennis joshed. 

Min-Jun murmured, “I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic.”

Ruby looked up from her phone screen and informed, “Alright, Mamá’s gonna be here in a few minutes. So, I guess this’ll be the last time we get to hang out before summer ends.”

“You’re right! It feels so weird!” Lisa exclaimed.

“I mean, we still hung out at the clubroom for a few days. It’s not gonna be that different.” Min-Jun crumbled up his napkin and tossed it into the trash can.

“I feel like it is. There’s gonna be more people, of course. Plus, we’ll have new classmates, and new classes,” Rudy added. “It’ll be my last year of middle-school.”

“Same here!” Dennis sighed, “Man, time’s going by so quickly! It feels like the year just started!”

“You’re right. I’m really excited for next year, but at the same time, I…” As her sentence went on, Ruby’s voice softened. 

“You’re scared?” Rudy questioned.

“Yeah. We haven’t really gotten any new members for our club yet, either.”

“I get ya.” Min-Jun murmured, “I’m actually a bit worried too. We’re gonna need more members to keep this going. And, uh, you made this club to make friends, right Rudy? Any other reason?”

“...No, not really,” Rudy responded. “That’s basically it. This all eventually turned into an excuse to hang out after school more often.”

Lisa hollered, “You seriously think that? I mean, you’re semi-right, but still! We all have our own reasons, y’know.”

Dennis shrugged. “Yeah, I just joined ‘cuz I was bored.”

“Don’t you think that there should be more than that? Like, other than just wanting to make friends or mess around?” Min-Jun inquired.

“I dunno,” Rudy mumbled. 

“We’re not even a club…” Ruby recalled. “We just disguised it as one. I’m glad that none of our teachers know yet, but still. It feels kinda wrong, y’know?”

“Exactly,” Min-Jun reciprocated. “I feel like there should be more to it, for some reason…”

Dennis blurted, “Hey, let’s become a Fishing Club!”

“Good idea,” Nagisa agreed.

“N-No, not something like that,” Min-Jun rebuked. “How about something a bit more serious?!” 

Lisa shrugged, “I can’t think of anything. I just wanted advice on my music, dude.”

“Something serious…” Ruby looked up in thought, and exclaimed, “Oh, I got it! Min, you really hate this school, don’t you?! You keep complaining about it everyday!”

“...Uh, I won’t deny that,” Min-Jun hesitantly replied.

“That’s exactly it! Our school! We can change it! How do I explain this, uh…”

“It  _ is _ pretty bad,” Rudy added. “We could make things better.”

“Yeah, that’s what I mean!”

Min-Jun questioned, “That sounds great and all, but how…?”

Lisa huffed, “Well, first of all, we could get rid of the mean kids in my class, starting with Albert.”

“Hah, can’t we do something else, other than getting rid of them?” The tone of Rudy’s voice was a signal for Lisa to stop. 

Dennis hollered, “We’ll solve world hunger! Conquer Pluto and prove it’s a planet! Conquer the school!”

“What do those first two things hafta do with any of this?! And how are we supposed to conquer the school?” Min-Jun let out an exasperated sigh. 

“World peace. No…” Nagisa corrected, “School peace.”

“Genius…” Ruby grinned widely and stroked her chin.

“Are y’all just gonna say random things and go through with it?” Min-Jun jabbed.

“Well, that’s how it usually works. You’re a part of it too, aren’t you?” Rudy rested his face on his hand, and softly smiled at Min-Jun.

Being caught off guard, Min-Jun calmed down and sighed. “...Yeah. That’s true.”

“So, how do you think we can change this school, then?”

“Me?” He stammered out, “U-Uh, well… We can invite more people to the club. Y’all seem really happy here, so maybe it’d be the same for everyone else.”

“Yeah, of course!” Ruby asked, “Anything else?”

“Uh… I-I don’t know everything, duh.”

“We can help other people with their problems and stuff,” Rudy suggested.

Dennis chined in, “We’ll give a huge stack of cash to everyone in our class! Everyone loves money, right?”

Lisa nodded, “True, true. But remember what I said? Let’s get rid of the mean kids! Nagisa, aren’t you on board?”

Nagisa cracked a smile. “Yup. That’d be nice.” 

_ Hmm, a fish tank in the clubroom… No, in each class…  _

“Perfect…” Ruby chuckled, “I guess if the teachers aren’t gonna do it, then we will.”

“Yeah, that’s how it is…” Min-Jun commented, his frown growing into a smile. 

“Well, let’s make all of this our objective for next year,” Rudy declared. “We’re gonna try extra hard to find new members…” He glared at Lisa, “And  _ not _ destroy the other classes.”

“Yeah! The more the merrier.” Dennis mischievously smirked and snickered, “Heh, and that means more followers.”

“Nah, I’ll have way more than you do by the end of the year,” Lisa boasted.

“We’ll see about that.”

“I’m glad we’re doing this.” Ruby smiled widely and added, “Thanks bro. And you too, Min!”

Min-Jun raised his eyebrow out of confusion. “Huh? Why are you thanking me?”

“You two helped make the club a whole lot, right? I can’t just  _ not  _ thank you, dude.”

“Yeah, whatever…” He faced the other direction and muttered, “You’re welcome.”

It didn’t show, but Nagisa was rather confused, and maybe a little upset. 

_ Rudy and Yellow Guy? _ They recalled, _ I was there. I helped… didn’t I?  _

And those were the very thoughts which perturbed them for the rest of the day. 


	17. The Daily Life of Miette

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Miette makes a promise to herself for the rest of the year, but she’s unsure of whether she can even keep it or not.

Once the bright sun shone through her window and illuminated her room, Miette slowly opened her eyes and embraced dawn. She looked to her side and checked her alarm clock, which read ‘5:34 a.m.’

“Oh, it’s still a bit early,” Miette wondered aloud. She rubbed her eyes and got up from her bed, folding her blanket neatly afterwards. 

She’d always wake up at six in the morning during the summer, but now that school had begun once again, she promised herself that she’d be more responsible and on top of things by waking up earlier. And since her parents weren’t awake, she took this opportunity to head into the kitchen and grab what was left of the previous day’s leftovers. Sure, someone would find out eventually, but Miette always found a way to either make it up to them, or trick them into thinking it was someone else. She had an older sister to blame, after all. 

Once she opened the fridge, to her demise, there wasn’t any food left. She figured that her sister already got to the desserts before her, but it didn’t upset her much. Walking towards the living room, Miette turned on the TV and immediately went to her favorite channel. 

After spending around two hours watching TV, she heard the flicker of a light switch. Once she turned around, she could see her father entering the kitchen, and going straight to the fridge. To her knowledge, he was checking to see if anything was gone.

“You’re up early,” He spoke in a gruff tone. “School doesn’t start ‘til eight thirty, doesn’t it?”

Miette replied, “I know, I just wanna make it there on time. So, how was your night?”

“I couldn’t sleep too well. Did you hear the neighbors blasting their music last night?” As he spoke, he sat at the dinner table with his shoulders hunched up.

“Yeah, probably for some sort of party. Yesterday was the last day of summer.”

“Even so, they’re disturbing the neighborhood’s peace.” His eyebrows furrowed. “The next time they do it, I’m going over there.”

“It should be fine, Papa. They’ll probably only do it during Christmas. We’ll have our own party, right?”

He sighed and chuckled, “Yes, you’re right. And I just remembered, today is your very first day of 7th grade. You’re growing up so fast...”

“Yeah, I’m really excited! I hope that I get to be with Lisa again this year. Maybe we can be in Ruby’s class, too.”

“I hope things go well. And I’m glad you’re excited… Your sister was the opposite of that for middle school, and so was your mother. They kept whining and complaining the whole year.”

“Meh, I just like school!” Miette got up from the couch and spoke in a honeyed voice, “And y’know what else I like? That cake from yesterday.”

How could her father say no to that?

“...Alright,” He replied, “I’ll buy some more of that so you can have a slice after school. No more than that, okay?”

“Awesome! Thanks Papa!” She gave him a hug and excitedly went towards the door to her room. “I’m gonna get dressed now.” 

“Alright, and tell your sister to wake up,” He ordered.

As Miette closed the door behind her, the voice of her father faded away. She hastily went to her closet, and picked out her uniform. Once she was done changing, she went straight to the bathroom to brush her hair. Grabbing her favorite hairpins (which came from Lisa), she braided her purple wavy hair into cute, short pigtails. 

“Perfect, time for another good first impression,” She spoke to herself. “C’mon Miette, you can do this. No more schemes.” 

*****

“Hey Mimi, guess what?!” Lisa shouted, sprinting into the classroom. Her sudden high-pitched voice alerted Miette, and caused her to turn around in her seat to see what the deal was. 

“Yeah?” She inquired, smiling towards her best friend.

Lisa exclaimed, “You won’t believe it! _I_ can’t believe it! This is, like, the best thing that’s ever happened to me!”

“Well, what is it? Tell me!”

“I don’t even know who he is, but this random guy just asked me out! We’re gonna have a date in the schoolyard, and I dunno, hold hands and stuff!” 

Miette suppressed the urge to facepalm. 

_That doesn’t count as a date, but…_

She piped, “Go out there, then! What time does it start?”

“In an hour! I’m gonna do my hair and everything! I knew the first day of school was gonna be awesome!” Lisa squealed and hopped around the classroom, alerting the other students around her. Noticing this, she abruptly stopped in her tracks and faked a smile. “Hah… Sorry.”

Once Lisa left the classroom, Miette was left standing by herself, and the other students resumed what they were doing. 

_What am I supposed to do for an hour?_ Miette wondered. _The other girls are busy doing whatever right now, and Ruby’s in a club, so… She shook her head and mentally scolded, No. No scheming today, or for the rest of the year. I’m just gonna stop by the Chemistry Club. Yeah, I can do this._

It’s not like she didn’t want to attend the Chemistry Club’s activities, but it was sort of a last resort for her after school. It wasn’t as enjoyable as it used to be, and the meetings there were getting slightly boring. She still tried to find the fun in it, however. At that moment, she didn’t have a choice, and maybe stopping by for an hour wouldn’t hurt.

She walked throughout the hallway, and observed the pin boards that contained club flyers, announcements for upcoming school events, and reminders. 

_Ruby’s club is using the same flyer from last year, I wonder if they’re gonna change it… And the Astronomy Club is still recruiting? Hmm, maybe I can make their flyer a bit flashier._

Before she could grab an utensil from her pocket, she stopped herself and snapped out of it. 

_...No schemes. This flyer is fine._

Before leaving, she noticed an announcement which caught her eye.

“Another talent show? I thought that failed last year. Well, I know that Lisa’s gonna enter that.” 

Walking away from the pin board, she finally arrived at the Chemistry Club’s clubroom, and opened the door to witness— 

“You’re late,” A girl called out. “Same thing happened last year.”

“Sorry,” Miette relented, “I was talking to my friend. I’ll be here a bit earlier tomorrow, I promise.” 

If there was one thing about the Chemistry Club that Miette hated the most, it would be Melanie. Not only was she the club’s leader, but she was the most controlling person that Miette knew. Hated among almost everyone in the school, Melanie just ignored it and continued to boss them around. However, her grades were terrible, so despite being 16, she’s been held back to 8th grade, just in time for Miette’s year of change. 

Lisa had overheard a few students dubbing it a ‘puberty thing,’ while others just blamed either the school’s staff for letting Melanie get away with everything, or her parents for raising her a certain way. 

If they were in a superhero film, then Lisa, Ruby, and Miette would be the heroes, and Melanie would be the villain. And of course, just like Miette, Melanie was talented at putting schemes together, and manipulating people into doing what she wants. This led Miette to realize her ‘bad traits,’ and desire to have at least a single year where she didn’t plot anything. Her plan began to take shape today, but if Melanie continued to do what she did best, then it’d be game over, and Miette was aware of that. 

Once Miette fully observed the clubroom, she questioned, “Wait, where’s everyone else?”

“All that club stuff starts tomorrow. It’s the first day of school. I figured that you’d come anyway, so that’s why I went in here to talk to ya,” Melanie explained.

“Oh, then what is it? Does it have to do with the club, or—“

“You already know,,” Melanie stated as she crossed her arms. “Remember what you said last year? You promised that you’d leave Lisa alone. Why’re you still her friend?”

“...Why wouldn’t I be?”

Melanie groaned, “Ugh, she’s selfish and annoying. She isn’t even an actual girl, either.”

“I still think she’s a good person.”

“For real? She got Hollie suspended for no reason, and hangs around that weirdo. Does a ‘good person’ blame things on random people, or act like they literally own the place? Don’t you want a good reputation?”

“It’s… already been ruined a bit. I just wanna make some friends.” 

“Well, hanging around Lisa is gonna make everything worse! Heck, she’s so self-absorbed, I doubt she’ll notice that you’re not her friend anymore.”

“She still has some good traits...”

Miette’s frown slowly turned into a smirk. She knew how to throw Melanie off. 

She added, “But… Why do you want me to leave Lisa alone? Why do you care so much about that?”

“That’s none of your business,” Melanie sneered. 

“Yeah, but the people I hang out with isn’t any of your business either.”

“...And what if I were to get you expelled, huh?”

“I can’t wait for the day that comes.”

“You—“ 

Before Melanie could finish, Miette walked out of the clubroom, and shut the door behind her. She let out a sigh, and looked to the ground with a solemn expression.

_I’m such a chicken… And now I’ve gotten myself into this mess. Lisa isn’t a bad person, and I don’t wanna be mean… Ugh, me and my stupid schemes from last year. I wanna move schools._

When Miette was in 5th grade, there was some drama going on between Melanie and a girl named Leolinda. They both used to be great friends, but eventually, Leolinda started hanging around Hyun-a more, which upset Melanie. It wasn’t out of jealousy, however. Melanie knew about what happened with Hyun-a and the Drama Club, and didn’t want Leolinda to be around someone who was ‘terrible.’ She thought that she was a better friend to Leolinda than Hyun-a, after all. 

Leolinda was the only person Melanie cared about. There wouldn’t be a better excuse as to why she went to extreme lengths just to keep her away from ‘bad people.’ She just _might’ve_ care about Miette a little as well, but it sure doesn’t show, and it probably never will. 

The words of her father rang in her ears.

*****

Miette walked outside into the schoolyard, and sat at a bench by herself. She looked around her surroundings, and noticed all the other students playing happily together, and talking about who-knows-what.

 _Looks like they don’t have any problems at all,_ Miette thought. 

Her eyes continued to wander around, but a small group of six people caught her attention. Squinting to get a better look, there laid the Anime Club. 

_Are they recording something? What for?_

“Why are you forcing me to go first?” Min-Jun questioned. He crossed his arms and faced away from the camera.

“Tons of people in Missouri are blonde, aren’t they? So you’re gonna represent our club! Smile!” Dennis exclaimed, holding up his phone.

“Fine,” Min-Jun groaned. “Uhh… Hi, I’m Min-Jun. I’m in the Anime Club. What else do I have to say…?”

Ruby whispered, “Say how cool the club is, and convince people to join.”

“...Uh, it’s pretty cool. Join, and escape the never-ending void of loneliness.” 

“Good enough.”

“Aaaaaand, done!” Dennis beamed, “Man, that recording is good! We’re gonna get a bunch of people now.”

“I should’ve thought of this sooner. It would’ve helped…” Rudy admitted.

“At least we’re doing it now,” Ruby answered. “I feel like it’ll be more effective with more people, y’know?” 

“That’s true.” Rudy turned over to Nagisa and asked, “Do you wanna be next?”

“What do I say?” Nagisa queried.

“Something like a self-introduction. Give the viewers a reason to join our club, too.”

“Okay.” Nagisa nodded and stood in front of the camera. Dennis put a thumbs up, signaling them to start. 

“They better not say what I think they’re gonna say,” Min-Jun commented, watching Nagisa alongside the others. 

Nagisa deadpanned, “Hi, I’m Nagisa. I’m in this club. I like drawing, and just fish. Any fish.”

“I knew it.”

“Everyone does stuff, and I…”

As Nagisa spoke, the realization hit them. What did _they_ lay on the table?

It couldn’t just be nothing. That was impossible. Being there from the start should’ve definitely be enough. But it wasn’t. Joining to make friends wasn’t an excuse, either. The others had already contributed just enough, even if they bore their similar reasons to join the club.

Incapable of finding the right words, Nagisa instead added, “...I wanna see Lisa. Turn it off.”

“What? How come?” Dennis whined. 

Nagisa walked over to the other three, and stood beside Ruby, grasping onto her hand. “Can’t do it. I’m hungry now.”

“Seriously? We literally had a snack five minutes ago,” Min-Jun sighed.

“Wasn’t good enough. I want sushi.”

“And why would that be at a school? Uh…” Min-Jun took out a piece of candy from his pocket. “Look, here, have this Kit Kat.”

“Not good enough.”

“Nothing’s ever good enough…” Min-Jun eventually gave up, and put it away. 

Dennis blurted, “That sounds like something an emo would say.”

“I was kidding. And if I’m emo, what are you?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, shouldn’t everyone have a different kind of role here?”

“Hmm, Rudy and Lisa are the leaders… I guess I’m the annoying one!”

“That’s not something to be proud of.”

“That’s a good idea!” Ruby suggested, “We can say what our role is for the video. So, Rudy says that he’s the leader.”

“I didn’t think that you’d be on board with that,” Min-Jun remarked. 

“Of course, it sounds good!”

“Yeah,” Rudy agreed, “But where’s Lisa?”

“Heh, maybe she went to the clubroom and forgot that we’d be out here,” Dennis snickered. 

Min-Jun crossed his arms and inquired, “Do you guys seriously think that Lisa should be our co-leader? I mean… that girl’s late all the time.”

“If we didn’t make her co-leader, she’d throw a fit,” Rudy replied. “She begged me to make her leader last year.”

“Oh yeah! That’s the day I joined, right?” Dennis looked over to Ruby and grinned. “Speaking of that, did ya talk about me before?”

“Uh…” Ruby fibbed, scratching her head, “Yeah, totally!”

“Nope,” Nagisa commented.

“Ahah,” Ruby fibbed once again, “Everyone _but_ Nagisa!”

“You’re bad at this.”

Rudy began, “...Anyway, let’s finish this up. Lisa might be last, so—“

Min-Jun spoke dryly, “You just ‘invited’ him out of nowhere. He exposed me on the internet.”

“Exposure’s what you need!” Dennis beamed, “You’re just grumpy all the time because you wanna be popular, right? You wanna be a star, an icon… another Rudy!”

“Okay, sure, I’m gonna let this random stranger take photos of me and upload them on the internet. Y’know what, I’ll let this guy ruin my reputation and mentally torture me.”

“Now we’re talking!”

“...You psychopath.” 

Rudy continued, “Uh, guys? We—“

“Okay, fine,” Ruby explained, “But I just forgot! I didn’t think that you’d come back, Dennis!”

“I said that I’d be back in a couple years!” He exclaimed.

“A couple? You came back almost two years later.”

“A couple is two!”

Lisa hollered, “Hey guys, sorry I’m late!” She ran towards the group and stopped for a moment to catch her breath. “Hah… What… are you guys doing? Having a photoshoot?”

Rudy sternly berated, “This isn’t a photoshoot. We’re making a video. Please here on time from now on…”

“Whoops, sorry.”

 _Looks like they’re having fun,_ Miette wondered, as she continued to observe the group. _Rudy looks like the leader, but I thought it was Lisa. Hmm…_

Miette decided to approach them, and made her way there. She felt a pang of nervousness, and her eyes darted around her surroundings.

It’s not like she was making a first impression. She’s already met them before. But not enough. Other than Ruby and Lisa, she didn’t know too much about the others, and wanted to make sure that she wouldn’t freak them out, or make them scared of her. 

Once she stood in place, Miette waved her hand and attempted to grab their attention. “Hey guys.”

Dennis gasped, “Oh, hey Miette! What’s up?”

“Wait, you remember me?”

“Obviously,” Min-Jun chimed in. “We literally saw you last month.

“Are you interested in our photoshoot?” Lisa asked. 

“A photoshoot?” Miette smiled widely in awe. “Sounds fun!”

Rudy gave Lisa a quick glare before she could reply back. 

Miette asked, “So, what do you guys normally do and stuff?”

“Not much, really. Chilling, talking, eating chips…” Ruby added forcing another smile, “Oh, we ordered pizza this one time! ...But that’s not important.” Uttering such an unimportant statement only made her feel worse, and Nagisa caught onto this.

“We’re trying to record a video to promote our club.” Rudy sighed, “We aren’t getting anywhere, though…”

“Yeah, it’s kinda hard with only six people. It probably isn’t too convincing.”

“That’s tough,” Miette thought, “But I think I have an idea. You could bribe everyone to join, and steal the money from them if you do. You’re not only making money, but you’re getting new members!”

_Dang it._

Min-Jun rebuked, “No way. I don’t—“

“Stealing money from people? I’m in!” Dennis excitedly piped.

“I knew you’d say that.”

Lisa put her hands on her hips and wondered, “Hmm, if we want someone to promote our club, then we should find someone who stands out well. Like, superstar material. I’m willing to volunteer!”

“Okay, you can do it,” Rudy offered.

“Ah, really? But, I’m not that good in front of an audience… Are you sure…?”

“Nevermind then.”

“Wait, I’ll do it! I can do it!” Lisa added, “But I have a date in an hour, so hurry it up.”

“Liar,” Nagisa commented.

“Well, being in a club like yours seems pretty cool.” Miette cheered, “Good luck with the video!”

“Thanks,” said Rudy. 

Dennis bantered, “Heh, that’s my future wife.” He pointed to Miette as she left, and nodded his head. “You guys probably don’t understand, though.”

“Yeah, we don’t. You getting a wife is impossible,” Min-Jun bluntly stated.

“Then what about a husband?”

“How would possibly…?”

“You, of course! Marry me!”

“W-Wait, what?! Hell no!”

…..

Miette sighed and spoke to herself, “What am I gonna do now? I don’t wanna go home yet… Hmm…” 

She looked around the schoolyard to see if there was anyone she could speak with. To her demise, her friends were off doing who-knows-what somewhere else, so she was left alone. However, at the corner of her eye, she spotted a beautiful girl with smooth and wavy long hair colored in light brown. Without a doubt, it was Hyun-a. Miette didn’t want to question why she was standing by a tree all by herself, so she went over to investigate.

“Hi Hyun-a, whatcha doing?”

“Oh, hey,” She replied, “I was calling my dad, but he didn’t pick up. Aren’t you in the Chemistry Club?”

“Club stuff starts tomorrow. I dunno what to do, so…”

“Is it fun, though?”

“Yeah! I don’t know a thing about chemistry, but it was super fun last year. I thought you used to be in it. You always wear that lab coat thing.”

“Oh, this? Someone really… _important_ to me handed it down when I was little. It fits perfectly now.”

“Hah, that’s nice.”

“Yeah… But what else do you like, other than that science-y stuff?”

“Ah, my parents own this huge field with tons of fruits and vegetables. So, gardening, I guess.”

“That’s neat! You never told me before!”

“Well, it’s not _that_ neat.”

“I think it is. Gardening takes a lot of work.”

“You’re right, it does. I think I wanna have a strawberry field of my own…”

“Sounds good! And, I have a question. You know who Min-Jun is, right?”

“Yeah, Ruby and Lisa keep telling me about him. Why?”

“Did you know that he’s my cousin?”

“Wait, seriously?! You guys don’t look related at all.”

“Yeah, it’s weird. He’s weird... But in a good way. It’s not like he’s annoying, either.”

“He sounds like a cool person.”

“He is, and that’s why… Uh, hey, is he having fun in the club?”

“Sure looks like it. I don’t even know much about him, but he looks happy. Kind of.”

“Haha, thanks. His dad just told me to check on him.”

“Can’t you just ask him yourself?”

“...No, I don’t think so. He’s probably still mad at me.”

“Mad at you? For what?”

“Look who’s being nosy.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine… I was just being bossy, and I said some stupid things. I told him to leave the club, ‘cuz I knew his dad wouldn’t like him being in one. I eventually forgot about it, and I really wanna apologize, but, uh…”

“Are you too scared? You can’t be, that’s impossible. He’s your cousin, so shouldn’t he understand?”

“Doubt he will. He’s looked up to me for ages, and I probably ruined everything. I’m even worse than how those kids in the Drama Club used to be.” 

“C’mon, don’t say that! You can find a way to apologize or something!”

“Nah, it’s fine, I’m just gonna let him do his thing, and I’ll do mine. I don’t even know what my thing is, but I’m doing it anyway!”

“If you say so.”

“Oh, and I already knew that he was doing fine. I just wanted to ask you to make sure that I wasn’t being delusional.”

“Hah, you’re funny. You should be a comedian.”

“Really? I’ve never imagined that.”

“Well, you should. Haven’t you seen all those young comedians that are, like, super popular? You can be just like them!”

“Maybe I can, but whenever I try to tell a joke, I end up hurting someone’s feelings by accident. I don’t think that’d be entertaining.”

“Dry humor is a thing, y’know!”

“I guess you’re right. Maybe if I keep telling jokes like that, then… maybe I can make Min and Colston happy.”

“Wait, who’s Colston?”

“Ah, no one. It’s not important.”

But it soon would be. Every single one of their actions would be.


	18. The Debate Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nagisa meets Serena.

_ My name is Nagisa Yuuki. That’s all I really know. Back in Japan, I didn’t stand out much. People only noticed my ‘weird behavior.’ It’s the same way now. Now it’s worse. My english isn’t perfect, and I can’t say what I mean to people. I keep repeating myself, and I don’t mean to. I can’t common— uh— communicate out loud. The others might be annoyed, but I can’t help it. It’s not my fault I like the ocean. _

_ I wonder if there’s a whole life like ours in the ocean. I sometimes think that I belong underwater, but… If what I said is true, then nevermind. There’s no way. I’m still happy just thinking about fish, but it has nothing to do with the club. I’ve been thinking it over, and I don’t have a role in the club at all. Everyone is weird, but I’m really weird. I can’t tell when they’re upset, Ruby had to tell me. I feel bad. I only have to leave early because it starts to get loud. It hurts. It really hurts. What do I do? _

_ They talked about finding more people. I wonder what that’s about. Finding more people must be hard. I can’t do it, that’s all I know. Maybe I can help. I really wanna help. Even if it’s only once.  _

“Hey, Nagi,” Dennis questioned in a sing-songy tone, “Are you listening? Hello!” 

Nagisa lost their train of thought, and began to pay attention, snapping out of their daze. “What?”

“Dude, you weren’t listening? Lisa’s gonna start her revolution tomorrow!”

“Heck yeah,” Lisa hollered, “I’m doing it alright! Get owned, you stupid, stuck-up highschoolers! You’re going down, you—“

Rudy urged, “Can you  _ please  _ calm down…?”

“No! I’ve been planning this for way too long! Watch out Inaya! You’re not gonna be the popular girl of highschool anymore! Wait ‘til—“

“No.”

“...Wait ‘till all the boys come flooding after me! I can imagine it right now: Reese proposing to me after graduation! It’s gonna be so romantic!”

“What does getting proposed to have to do with your rebellion?!” Min-Jun jabbed, “And it’s not even gonna work. You’d have to be a genius to do all that by yourself. Those kids are way stronger than you.”

“Oh, so you think  _ you _ can beat me?” 

“No, I didn’t say that.”

“Yeah, that’s what you said. I bet you think you’re stronger than me, but you’re, like, super short.”

“Height has nothing to do with strength.”

Dennis blurted, “Oh yeah, Min’s only four feet tall!”

“You’re not helping!”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “Really? I didn’t think he was  _ that _ short.”

“Yeah, so funny.” 

“I-It’s not a bad thing, though! There are tons of advantages to being short! Like, you have a lower risk of dying, and you’ll always look young.” 

Lisa chimed in, “And, I mean, most girls are into strong, tall, and masucline guys, and not short ones. But you’ll get lucky.”

“Well, what if I’m  _ not  _ lucky? I know I’ll never be strong or whatever, so what am I?” Min-Jun inquired, “Are people just gonna laugh at me?”

“Probably! Just like I am now!”

“...You’re not making me feel any better.”

“But…” Rudy began, “But girls find short guys cute! You should be fine!”

“I don’t wanna be cute. That’s your thing, being all girly.”

“Wait, are you calling me feminine?”

“He isn’t lying,” Dennis snickered, “It’s the truth!”

Lisa added, “Yeah, you’re not very masucline.” 

Rudy asked, “Ruby, do you think the same?”

All their eyes went to Ruby, and she scratched her head. “If I’m gonna be honest… maybe a little. But you’re still really cool, bro!”

“At least my own sister isn’t attacking me.” 

“L-Listen,” Min-Jun stammered out, “We’re not attacking you. I don’t think it’s a bad thing…”

Dennis jabbered, “Wait, but guys don’t like femi—!”

“Spare him.”

“Anyway, I think we should make some new posters,” Ruby suggested. “The other ones were a bit old.”

“I agree, we made those almost two years ago,” Rudy recalled.

“Wait, who even made ‘em anyway?” Dennis inquired.

“Oh, Nagisa designed them. They drew them and everything.”

The sound of someone saying their name caught Nagisa’s attention. “I did,” They replied, nodding their head.

“Really?” Dennis chuckled, “Man, I should’ve known! It has those cute little fish on the sides. It looks cute.”

_ That’s the only reason why,  _ Nagisa thought.

“You’re pretty good at drawing, you should become an artist,” Min-Jun complimented.

“Hah,” Lisa teased, “You admitted it!” She stood up from her chair and announced, “Hey guys, Min said that Nagisa should—“

“They heard me.” 

Lisa sat back down in her chair and pouted.

Ruby looked over to Nagisa. She noticed their unusual expression. “Hey, are you okay?” 

“Nagi looks the same as usual,” Min-Jun commented. “They should be fine.”

“No… Somethings wrong. They look upset.”

Nagisa observed the room, and noticed that it suddenly got quiet.

_ Why are they looking at me? _

“They aren’t gonna say anything, so…” Lisa chirped, “Let’s make the flyers extra flashy!”

“Lemme guess, extra pink?” Dennis wondered.

“...I’m okay,” Nagisa finally replied. 

Lisa awkwardly stared at them. “Oh, that’s good.”

Nagisa got up from their chair, as the others gave them a look of confusion.

_ Bad timing. I… I can’t do this.  _

“Wait, you’re leaving already?” Rudy asked.

“Bye-bye.” Nagisa waved goodbye, and left the room abruptly. They didn’t bother to close the door behind them, and left it open.

“Uh…” Ruby muttered, “Should I go after them, bro?”

“No,” Rudy responded, “They’ll come back. I hope everything’s okay, though. Nagi’s been kinda off these past few weeks.”

The sounds of the club member’s voices drowned out as Nagisa made their way into the hallway. They walked towards the stairs, lost in thought.

_ What can I do? It’s getting worse. Way worse. I don’t know why Lisa looked at me like that, but I bet it was bad. What am I feeling? Do I even belong there…? _

Nagisa stared at the ceiling’s lights, and stood in place. They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps gradually getting louder. It was getting closer, so Nagisa looked around to investigate. Their eyes landed on a young girl with long, jade-colored hair. 

_ Who’s that?  _

Nagisa then noticed that the girl was walking towards them. She was getting closer.

_ Who’s that? She’s new. _

It was Serena.

“Hi,” she spoke. “You’re Nagisa.”

“...Yeah.” 

_ She looks so polite. But who’s that? _

“Sorry, I’m probably confusing you,” the girl continued. “I’m Serena, Rudy’s friend.”

“I don’t know you.”

“I know you, though. Just by a little. It’s nice to meet you.” Serena shook Nagisa’s hand, and smiled lightly. “I was going to my club. Would you like to come with me?”

“What club?”

“The Debate Club. We have a meeting right now. I’m a little late, I need to apologize.” Serena paused, “Maybe they’ll forgive me if I invite you.”

“Why?”

“We haven’t had new members in a while. It’s my fault, really. But are you interested?”

_ Well, if I don’t belong in Rudy’s club, then… _

“I’m sorry.” Nagisa shook their head and looked to the ground. “I can’t go.” 

“Shit,” Serena cursed under her breath. 

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s okay, I won’t force you to come.”

_ Oh, she reminds me of Ruby a little… _

Serena continued, “Thanks anyway. I gotta go now.”

“Wait. I’ll come.” 

“Really?”

_ Yeah, I should think about it… Maybe it won’t be so bad there. I’ll give it a try. _

“I’ll come,” Nagisa reassured her, “Only for a little bit.”

“Great. Follow me.” Serena walked past Nagisa, and led the way towards her clubroom. Nagisa followed behind her, and began to anxiously twiddle their thumbs.

_ She hasn’t said anything about me yet. Maybe she’s really nice… _

Ever since they started school, Nagisa had always been greeted with rude comments from their classmates. It was to the point where being called a ‘robot’ was nothing. It hurt, but Nagisa managed to tune them out after a while. There were other more important things so focus on, like making friends and getting through school, but the constant bullying made it difficult. Finding out who started the rumors was a whole other thing on it’s own. 

At first, Nagisa thought it was Rudy, since he approached them out of nowhere. In fact, they theorized that it was practically anyone who bothered to talk to them. But after they joined the Anime Club, that changed. Fully opening up to the others was a task, but in the end, everything went well. Now the problem is: What do they contribute, now that they’re a part of the group?

Serena opened the door. “We’re here,” She announced, as she and Nagisa entered the clubroom.

“It’s about time,” Nita grumbled, “I’m about to lose my shit just waiting here.”

Ray ordered, “Stop cursing. Reese is gonna hear, stupid.” He glared at Reese, who was laying his head down on the table and taking a nap.

“Don’t call my sis stupid,” Ali spat.

“Shut up.” Serena’s eyebrows furrowed, and she gave everyone across the room a quick glare. A stern look was plastered on her face, which indicated for the room to get silent. She continued, “...Anyway, I—“

“Ugh, you brought Nagisa here? You really  _ were _ serious…” Nita crossed her arms and looked in the opposite direction.

“Let me talk. Can you be nice to them for once?”

“Nah. I don’t wanna be involved in this. Leave me alone.”

“Okay…” Serena sighed, as she looked towards Nagisa. “I’m sorry about all that. Nita’s very rude. You can say something if you want.”

Nagisa thought,  _ Serena’s really nice. Just what I thought. I like her hair. _

“Hello?”

“Oh, sorry.” Nagisa owlishly blinked and replied, “It’s fine. Thanks.”

Serena walked Nagisa over to the table, and pulled out a seat. “You can sit here, next to my brother. His name is Ray.”

Nagisa’s eyes lit up. “Oh, like the stingray?”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Nagisa sat down in the chair, and looked at Ray. “You don’t look like her brother.”

“I get that a lot,” Ray responded, “And I think so too. Most twins would be identical.”

“...Oh, Twin’s Seafood.”

“No, not that. We’re both fraternal twins. Basically siblings that don’t look the same.”

“Ohhhhh. Cool.”

Nita groaned, “Quit using the big words, nobody can understand.” 

Ray sneered, “It’s not my fault that I’m both smarter and older than you.”

“Whatever. And, how does Nagisa not know what twins are? Freaking a—“

Ali nudged her shoulder. “Shut  _ up,  _ sis.” 

“You didn’t even know what I was gonna say! At least let me finish!”

“I’ve known you my entire life. I already knew.”

“Oh really? Then say it! Say what I was gonna say in front of everyone here!”

“No, it’s hella offensive.”

Ray begged, “Can you two  _ please _ shut up?”

Reese slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head. “...Huh? What’s happening?” His eyes darted across the room, and they landed on Nagisa. “Who’s that?”

“Nagisa. They’re trying out the club,” Serena replied. She then whispered, “I told you already. Did you forget?”

Reese chuckled, “Hah, there’s no way I could forget something you said. I’m that thoughtful.”

Serena flatly faked a chuckle. “Haha. Funny joke. Anyway…” She turned to Nagisa, “We can tell you what our club’s about, if you’re interested.”

Nagisa nodded. “Okay. What’s a debate?”

“Well, for example, we can bring up something political, and have a discussion about it. We also have competitions with other schools.”

“It’s more of a ‘harsh discussion’ if you think about it,” Ali commented. “Not a lot of people wanna join the club… They think it’s too extreme. I remember one time, Reese got into a fight with another kid, and they both got suspended. It was only ‘cuz the other kid disagreed.”

“It was unfair,” Ray added. “More than that, it was stupid.”

“I agree with anything Serena says. And it’s not my fault if she likes me more,” Reese scoffed.

“That has nothing to do with this. Go back to sleep.”

“I have to deal with these people arguing everyday,” Serena whispered to Nagisa. “You’ll get used to it. It’s not that bad.”

_ Right, it isn’t bad. It feels the same as Rudy’s club. But it feels weird, too.  _ Nagisa nodded at Serena, and observed the room once more. 

“Y’know, I used to think you were really weird, but maybe we can be best friends.”

“Huh?” Nagisa let out a light gasp. “Best friend? But…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Can’t you only have five? Five best friends?”

“That’s not how it works.” Serena lightly chuckled, “You can have tons. The more the merrier.”

“‘Merrier?’”

“You haven’t heard that phrase before? I meant that having more friends is better. You don’t have to have only five.”

“Ohhh…”

“Freaking kid,” Nita mumbled.” Is Nagisa, like, seven?”

“You’re the youngest one here,” Ali remarked, “So you can’t say that.”

“I can say whatever I want, dummy.”

“If anyone’s the dummy, it’s Reese.”

“Yo.” Reese winked, and everyone but Nagisa groaned out of annoyance.

Nagisa wondered, “Serena, how do you know Rudy?”

“Oh,” She replied, “I forgot to tell you. We met in 5th grade, before you came here. We’re best friends.”

“Huh?” Ali raised her eyebrow. “You’re not friends with him.”

“Roll with it. Please.”

“Speaking of that, you don’t have too many friends, do you?” Ray asked Nagisa. It might’ve come off as intimidating, but Nagisa wanted to believe everything was okay, and that this was a simple question. Even if it were for a second.

“...Yes.” Or at least, Nagisa thought so.

Were the Anime Club members  _ really  _ their friends? Just because you join a club for making friends, doesn’t necessarily mean everyone there is your friend already. These very thoughts were rummaging throughout Nagisa’s mind, and continued to pester them.

They managed to utter, “...I don’t know. I talk to them, that’s it.”

“Who’s ‘them?’” asked Ray.

“The…” No, they have no part in it. “...It’s Rudy’s club.”

“Oh, okay. That’s what Serena told me.” 

“Why ask?”

“I just wanted to make sure.” He sighed, “It’s the same for us. We barely know anyone. We try to talk to them, but they’re scared of us.”

Nagisa immediately thought,  _ Same for me.  _ These were the first people they met who shared the same problem as they did. Maybe people being scared of you truly is common, but in Nagisa’s eyes, it was the opposite. After all, everyone around them was better, more popular, more interesting… The Anime Club’s members were all those things. 

And maybe that’s why Nagisa felt out of place. 

“Hey, the weirdo looks depressed,” Nita called out, “Or is that how they always look?”

“Shut up,” Ali groaned. She turned to Nagisa and asked, “You okay?” 

Nagisa nodded. “Oh. I’m fine.”

Nita scoffed, “If you’re gonna be all depressed the whole time, then just leave.” She mumbled, “ _ Ugh, just like Colston. _ ”

“No. I want to stay.”

“Okay then,” Ray spoke. “Sis, what else are we gonna do?”

Serena raised her eyebrow, and leaned in towards her twin brother. “I thought you had something else planned.”

“It’s on you. You’re the one who started this.”

“You already know that I count on you for this stuff sometimes.”

“...Well, should we just do our club activities with Nagisa?”

“No, I have an idea.”

Reese butted in, “Hey, what are y’all talking’ about?”

Nita huffed, “Reese, shut it. Please.” 

“You never let me talk.”

“Because you have nothing cool to say. You made a kid cry one time, and made someone leave. I don’t get why girls like you.”

“It’s because I’m hot, but you’re not. Boys don’t like jealous girls.”

“Ugh, freaking attention hog.”

“Snooty.” 

“Can you two stop arguing for a second?” Ali facepalmed out of embarrassment.

Ray scolded, “You’re giving Nagisa a bad impression. They’re gonna end up leaving, thanks to you two.”

Nagisa wondered,  _ Is this what goes on everyday? It isn’t that bad, but I’m starting to think this isn’t good. Why did they bring me here? _

“I can’t deal with this…” Serena sighed and ordered, “Everyone, It’s almost time to wrap things up. Just go without me.”

“Fine, whatever,” Nita scoffed. She, Ali, and Reese exited the clubroom, leaving the other three by themselves. Ray eventually followed suit, but intensely stared at Nagisa before doing so.

“You’re leaving?” asked Nagisa.

“Not yet,” Serena responded, “I wanna talk to you, one-on-one. May I?”

“Sure.”

“Alright, so…” She began, “How is it in the Anime Club?”

“Oh, it’s good. It’s really fun.”

“It’s fun? Well, what do you guys do?”

“...Shouldn’t say, but we just talk. No club stuff. We just talk.”

“We sometimes do that too. It’s easy to get distracted, as you can tell.”

Serena was right. Nagisa might’ve not been able to tell, but the constant arguments drove Serena crazy. Imagine how she felt about it happening every single day.

Nagisa nodded in agreement. “Yeah.”

Anyway,” Serena continued, “What exactly do  _ you  _ do?” 

“What?” The question was weirdly specific. Why would she be interested in what someone does?

“...Nagisa, what do you do?”

“Uh…” At first, it seemed like a hard question to answer. But all this time, Nagisa’s been asking themself the same thing. Once they were able to put the pieces together, the conclusion was obvious. “Nothing. I do nothing.”

“Oh.” Serena wasn’t expecting Nagisa to be that straightforward. Not like she was complaining, though. “So, nothing…”

“Why ask?”

“I’m just curious.” She quickly changed the topic, “So, how’s Rudy?”

“Why ask?”

“I… I haven’t been able to talk to him for a while.”

“Hmm, you’re his friend. Why ask?”

Serena didn’t like that Nagisa was catching on. What else could she say? “He’s mad. He’s really upset.”

“Upset? Why?” It was hard to tell. 

_ I know what he has in mind…  _ Is what Serena wanted to say, but she couldn’t fully expose her plan just yet. “It’s because of the club. He’s really frustrated with it, and it’s stressing him out. He told me a few months ago.”

“Months?” 

_ How long has this been happening? _

__ “...I didn’t know.”

“It’s true. And I can relate to him in a way. Having members who don’t listen… leading something on your own… dealing with arguments… Being a leader is hard work. I never imagined that I’d be leading the Drama Club, but here I am now. I know it was the same for Rudy, too.”

“Wait,” Nagisa paused, “You know so much about him. Why?”

“It’s none of your business.” 

That was uncalled for. “What?”

Serena realized what she had said and stammered, “O-Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.” She cleared her throat and let out an exasperated sigh. “But, I’ll answer. I’ve watched him.”

“What?”

“You know how it is, right? Before he leaves, he’s constantly bombarded by a bunch of kids. You barely even have a chance to talk to him. So, everyday after school, I just watched from far away. But when he joined the club, it’s been harder to do that. I still find a way, though.”

“So…”

_ Is she a stalker? _

“You’re weird.”

“Aren’t the other girls weirder? I think I’m the least weirdest. Everyone else would probably think the opposite, though. But that’s not the point.” 

_ What’s the point?  _ Nagisa impatiently wondered.

“So, the point is… Rudy deserves better. If he’s gonna be in that club, everyone else should be doing equal work. I can hear how it’s like in there, and sometimes I can see, too.” At this point, Nagisa wouldn’t be surprised if she were everywhere. 

“You’re God…?”

Serena cringed. “No. I’m not God.” She continued, “But I noticed something important. It isn’t even new, either.”

“What is it?”

“To put it lightly… you don’t do anything. You just sit there. You even said it yourself. Isn’t that true?” 

“Yes.” Where was this heading?

“So, in other words, you’re useless.”

“...What?”

“You know, when I first saw you, I thought you were a nice person. I didn’t get why you were bullied. I’d like to be friends with you even, but if you’re gonna make things worse for Rudy, then there’s no way.”

“Why Rudy?”

“Because I like him. But it’s not in the way those other girls do. This is different, but you won’t understand.”

“I… I don’t.”

“Anyway, since you do nothing, it’s obvious that you don’t belong in that club. But… you could join ours.”

“Really?”

“Of course. You like it here, don’t you? I think you’d be better off here. You actually belong.”

“But how?”

“I don't have to explain everything.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” 

“So, are you joining or not?”

Even if it were only this once, Nagisa gave her question some thought. 

_ Serena came to me and invited me here. She kept asking questions about the Anime Club. She asked me to join her club, and she’s telling me these things. Wait a minute… then... _

At that moment, Nagisa just felt like yelling all the words they knew in English. Not out of confusion, but out of anger. 

“Stalker. Walking lime. Mean. Stupid. Bad Inaya. Gross.”

“Excuse me?”

“That’s you. I learned those words. I used them for you.”

“...What do you mean?”

“You’re right. I don’t belong anywhere. But I know that I don’t belong here. It’s bad here. The Debate Club is evil.” 

“E-Evil?”

“Evil, like you. I thought you were nice.”

“I’m sorry, but not everyone is nice. I told you, I’d like to be your friend, but…”

“Stalker. Highschoolers are scary.” Nagisa stood up from their chair and hastily ran straight to the door.

“Wait, come back.”

“No. Sorry.” Nagisa left the clubroom, leaving Serena by herself. 

“Please…” Serena sighed, and looked to the ground in dismay. 

And at that moment, she decided that she needed to approach  _ at least  _ two other people, or else her plan wouldn’t work.


	19. Step by Step

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyun-a decides to get everything over with.

Hyun-a rolled around in her bed, and scrolled through the photos on her phone. She let out an exasperated sigh out of discontent, as her eyebrows furrowed. 

_Back in July, Min seemed really mad at me. He isn’t as mad as he was before now, but still. I can’t even say anything, either. But… Maybe I can. And here I thought that he was the one that didn't say anything._

_Ever since his mom disappeared, he hasn’t really had anyone to talk to but me, so I’m probably making it worse for him. I should’ve thought about that earlier, so I’m gonna try even harder. It’s what his mom would do. But what would his dad think? He’s always been strict about everything. Even if it has to do with something that Min likes, he doesn’t permit it. It even happens with Aera and the others. To be honest, I’m a bit scared of him. I can see why Min-Jun is, too. But…_

_Okay, I’m gonna tell him today. I’ll ask him to let Min do his own thing. Maybe things will be better, and I can apologize after that._

_Yeah, It’ll be fine._

Hyun-a looked through her contacts, and tapped on her uncle’s phone number. She took a deep breath and stared at the phone screen in anticipation. 

She was ready, but the phone kept ringing. 

_Hmm, he’s probably busy picking up Aera and the others from school. Wait, no, it’s a Saturday. What am I thinking…?_

Seconds later, the phone stopped ringing. But nobody picked up the call. So with that, Hyun-a decided to try again. 

_He said he was just going shopping. Why hasn’t he picked up the phone yet? Are the others bothering him?_

Once again, she received no reply.

_Hah, Min-Jun’s with him anyway. It’d probably be a bad idea. I shouldn’t ask him something so serious while he’s at the store anyway. I can wait._

But Hyun-a’s actions failed her words. The levels of her impatience were over the charts, yet she attempted to contain it.

_Calm down, he’s probably coming back home soon. It doesn’t take that long. It doesn’t… take… that..._

Oh no, she’s in denial.

_God, I give up._

There it was.

It wasn’t unlike Hyun-a to grow anxious or impatient, especially if it involved her family. Despite what her previous friends said when she was popular, she considered herself a bit clumsy as well. She tried to be mature and responsible, but anger issues, impatience, and quick judgement ran in the family. Only just now beginning to deal with it ended up causing a problem. But in reality, she just wants Min-Jun and the rest of her family to be happy. It’s another reason why she’s so overprotective. 

_Great, what else can I not fix?_ Hyun-a wondered to herself, as she turned off her phone. _At least Kaitlyn doesn’t hate me anymore. We’re starting to get along well too… But I gotta thank Rudy for that. It’s not like I could’ve done that by myself._

Then, her inner fan-girl woke up.

_Heheh. If we get married, maybe Rudy can stay by my side like that foreve— Wait, no, that’s not right! He belongs to a prince… Someone, like, uh… Not me, just not me. Age-difference is a thing, Hyun-a. One year can be a huge deal._

Since she was no longer in a club, instead of taking down flyers (that’s a first), she was occupied with coming up with stories to write, but they never fully developed. 

For some people, it’s hard to figure out what to do, especially if you're a kid going through complicated problems. Hyun-a saw those types of people every day, and so did everyone else. Not only that, but they saw it in themselves. 

Back when Hyun-a and her side of the family lived in Korea, she always looked up to her aunt, and it was hard to explain. She felt safe and secure, and even wise just from being around her. Once Min-Jun got slightly older, she suddenly disappeared, and that left the two of them on their own. However, they technically weren’t all by themselves, but it sure felt like it. Even with the rest of their family, life had changed entirely. 

So now, not only has Hyun-a failed to be there for her family like her aunt, but she unintentionally pushed her cousin away from her; The very one who couldn’t open up to anyone but his own mother. Even if you left out her social status and current attitude, Hyun-a’s situation would seemingly be impossible to fix. 

Sometimes— and only sometimes— Hyun-a feels like swiping her life away at the touch of her fingertip, so all her worries and troubles could be deleted.

She wasn't not popular anymore, so it wasn't like anyone would care.

But that was wrong. And that’s not what mattered.

Deep down, she knew inside that she had to keep trying to do her best, and be there for everyone. Even if her bluntless and stiff behavior kept her from doing so, she would keep trying. 

But, what even was her dream in the first place? All her life, she was admiring her aunt, without any thought of what she wanted to do. At first, she desired to become a fashion model, but she gave it up for no specific reason a few years later. Maybe now was the time to pick up her dream again. Luckily, she knew the perfect person to go to. It was someone who always had everything planned out, and knew exactly what they were doing.

_Hmm… I’ll call Miette for a bit._

Hyun-a called Miette’s phone number, and awaited her response. 

No, she couldn’t have called Kaitlyn. She was attending her so-called ‘acting practice,’ which could’ve been fake. Nobody knew.

_I hope she isn’t too busy. Maybe she and Lisa are doing something._

“Oh, hey,” Miette spoke through the phone, “What’s up?”

“Perfect,” said Hyun-a under her breath. She replied, “Hey! How’s the weekend?”

“Well, honestly, it’s a little boring. Some of my family’s over here right now, and they’re all super old. I don’t have any kids to talk to, so I’m kinda glad you called me.”

“Guess I saved ya,” Hyun-a chuckled.

“Anyway, how’s it going?”

“It’s pretty boring here too. I’m just going through an existential crisis. Nothing new.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… I guess I’m just lost. What do you wanna do with your life?”

“Hah, you always have the weirdest questions.” Miette gave her answer some thought. “For the longest time, I had no idea about what I was gonna do, actually. When I saw all those other kids around me who already had their future planned out, it kinda scared me. But now, I wanna quit scheming so much and be an approachable person!”

“You already are, though.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. My weird schemes and plans confuse alotta people. They think I’m a smartass, so they don’t wanna be around me. So if I quit that, then maybe people can like me! And, I dunno, maybe I can be a marker trader!”

“A market trader? That’s a… strange job choice.”

“I know, I know. I really don’t mean to brag, but my mom said that I’m pretty smart. I’m also good at math, so a few months ago, I started dreaming of working at some sorta marketplace. It’s weird, but isn’t it cool?”

“Yeah, sounds great! Lucky you…”

Miette snickered, “Nah, I’m not lucky! I think that you’re the lucky one here!”

“How, then?”

“Weeeeell,” Miette began, “First of all, you’re super pretty. Second, your family is awesome. Third, you’re funny, and you make me feel happy.”

“Thank you,” Hyun-a replied with a wide smile. “I didn’t think you thought about me that way.”

“It’s the truth! You deserve to be popular again.”

“Really? I don’t really care about that. And y’know, it’s a huge relief not being popular. I know Rudy would die to be in my spot, though.”

“Oh, that popular kid! Looks like he has a ton of friends. I’m jealous!”

“No, not really… If he didn’t have the Anime Club, he’d be pretty lonely right now. I should’ve realized that earlier.”

“Wait, for real?”

“Yeah. I said some mean things when we first met, but he forgave me. We actually haven’t talked in a little while, ‘cuz I haven’t had the chance to.”

“Oh yeah, you’ve been hanging out with that Colston guy. And I forgot to ask, but… Is he your boyfriend yet?”

“No way. It’d be nice to have one, but… Only if he were two years older.”

“The age difference isn’t even that big though.”

“Eh, I think it is. I can’t imagine myself dating a sixteen-year-old when I’m already eighteen. That’d just feel weird.”

“Wow, you’re really cautious of those things. But, what do you see him as?”

“Hmm… It’s hard to explain, but… I guess I see all my friends as my family. Heh, isn’t that weird?”

“I don’t think that’s weird. Sometimes, when I really, really wanna marry someone, I imagine myself being in a family with them!”

“That’s not really what I meant, but maybe that’s it too, I dunno. I guess I just wanna treat everyone else the same way I treat my family.”

“Respect! Not everyone is considerate like that, y’know.”

“Me? Considerate? I don’t think so… I keep saying the wrong things, and I can’t handle serious stuff…”

“Well, you can try.”

“It’s not like I haven’t been. It’s just really hard. Most of the time, I just don’t know what to do. No… It’s all the time.”

“Hmm.”

“Do you have any advice?”

“Look, I don’t have all the answers. I’m not God, and I’m only, like, fourteen.”

“Yeah, I know. I should’ve figured.”

“But, maybe you should start looking for different ways to do things, instead of just relying on one thing. Doing the same thing over and over isn’t sane.”

“...What if I wanna be like my aunt? She used to handle everything perfectly.”

“Then stop thinking about what she’d do, I guess.”

“Well that’s gonna be hard to do…”

“C’mon, be patient. You’re awesome, so things’ll probably work out. You’re also _the_ Hyun-a!”

“Me? Awesome? Well… If you say so. Thanks, Mimi.”

“Anytime!" Miette felt the urge to question, "Do you wanna talk about anything else?”

“No, that’s about it. My uncle should be here in a little bit. I need to tell him something, and apologize to Min when he gets here, too.”

Miette contained her disappointment and let out a quiet sigh. “Alright, good luck. Later!”

“Later.” 

Miette hung up, and Hyun-a put her phone away in her pocket. She let out a sigh, and softly smiled out of satisfaction. 

_Alright. I’m gonna try even harder from here on out, starting with talking to Uncle Jae-Yong. I can do this._

*****

And thirty minutes later, she attempted to do just that.

Waking up from her nap, she heard the pull and thud of the front door, accompanied by the sound of numerous children whining whilst running inside the house. Hyun-a got up from her bed and exited her room, making her way into the kitchen. She was greeted by the sight of her uncle Jae-Yong, along with her sister Aera and younger cousins.

Chin-wa and Hana were clinging to their father, and Aera stood beside Min-Jun. They all carried grocery bags to the kitchen counter, which in reality, was helping out Jae-Yong more than they thought. 

Hyun-a exclaimed, “Hey, you’re back!” 

“Good afternoon,” Jae-Yong replied, “Can you help us out?”

“Yeah, of course.” She kneeled down to Chin-wa and Hana’s levels, and smiled widely. “Do you two wanna watch some TV while we put this stuff away?”

“Yeah!” said Hana.

Chin-wa chimed in, “Okay!”

“You know how to turn it on. I’ll be there in a sec.” Hyun-a pointed to the living room, and the two children ran towards that spot. 

“They’re annoying,” Aera complained. “They were running around like animals the whole time. It wasn’t even that boring.” As she spoke, she took out the groceries from the bags, and set them on the counter.

“Well, that’s what we gotta deal with,” Min-Jun exasperated, following suit.

Hyun-a added, “And that’s what we have to control. Do they even deserve TV, Jae?”

“It isn’t that bad,” he replied. “They’re definitely behaving themselves a lot more. There’s mainly trouble when boredom gets thrown into the mix.”

Min-Jun complained, “And here I thought their terrible threes were bad. Now it’s the terrible nines.” 

“Well, parenting can be difficult, especially if you don’t teach your kids how life works. Luckily for me, you three are well-behaved.”

“Seriously,” Aera groaned, “I wanna watch TV without Hana screaming in my ears over Travis Scott.”

Min-Jun cringed. “Hold up, why does she listen to rap at her age?”

“Doesn’t everyone?”

“What? I told her to stop. I even disabled her music streaming account.” Jae-Yong crossed his arms. “How did she…?” He hollered, “HANA!”

“Also,” Aera added, “Tell Chin-wa that I’m not interested in moving out. I’m not spending any of my money for the next fifty years. Y’all know that.”

“Moving out?” Min-Jun questioned, “Where the hell does he wanna go?”

“China.”

“Meh, makes sense.”

“Language,” Jae-Yong cautioned. 

“Wait, Uncle Jae.” Hyun-a grabbed her uncle’s hand before he could walk over to the living room.

“Hm?”

“I, uh…”

_It can’t be right now. I gotta tell him later on._

“I have to tell you something important. Are you gonna be busy tonight?”

“No, not at all. Can you wait ‘till seven?”

“Yeah, that’s fine. Thanks.” Hyun-a let go of his hand, and watched as he chided Hana. 

Min-Jun just stared in confusion, but shrugged it off. He closed the door to the refrigerator. “Well we’re done.” He turned to Aera and asked, “What do you wanna do?”

“Dang, you’re starting to ask me that more often,” she replied with widened eyes. “At this point, your secret’s gonna get out.”

“It’s only a recent thing, I swear.”

“What secret?” Asked Hyun-a.

“Heh,” Aera snickered, “He’s starting to hallucinate. Wait, or are they delusions...?”

“Hey, maybe demons really are real.” Min-Jun mumbled, “I’ve been wrong this whole time. 

“Lemme guess, you gotta save a kingdom from these things by being an overpowered protag?”

“It’s not _that_ extreme… But it might be true. Wait…”

“Dude, you play way too many video games.”

“Look at you. Says the person who plays them with me almost all the time now.”

“Sure, but I don’t let fiction turn into reality. But now… It’s really in a different way for you, isn’t it?”

Hyun-a chimed in, “Oh, so Min’s delusional? I knew that one day he’d turn insane.”

“W-Wait,” Min-Jun stammered, “You were listening the whole time?!” 

“Of course. I even asked Aera what the secret was.”

“Ugh, stay outta this. Aera, don’t tell Hyun-a anything, ever.”

Aera teased, “If you say so, King—“

“Don’t say that here!”

Now that Hyun-a’s thinking about it, Aera really has changed a lot over the course of a year. She used to be so quiet and shy. Nobody thought that she’d turn out to be sassy and overly cautious. Perhaps her own family influenced her drastic change. However, not only was Hyun-a surprised, but she was also envious of her, for she knew how to deal with tribular situations, and especially fights. Despite her cautious nature, if she ever did get into an argument or fight, she’d always handle it calmly and take the responsible role. 

Maybe that’s what Hyun-a should’ve done with the Drama Club, instead of allowing the situation to escalate. 

“Alright, anyway…” Aera continued, “Can I go to your room? I wanna play some Pillars of Eternity.”

Min-Jun nodded. “Uh, sure, I guess.” Both he and Aera went into his room, and shut the door behind them.

Hyun-a then looked up to the ceiling and wondered, _What am I gonna do now? I’m gonna have to wait a couple hours…_

She attempted to contain her impatience, and went inside her room. 

What she normally did in her free-time was surf the internet (much like Min-Jun), and study for upcoming tests. Just because she wasn’t popular anymore, didn’t mean that she could slack off on her studies. For no apparent reason, she’s been trying on new clothes and adjusting them more frequently. Maybe becoming a model truly was her future career. Then again, she also considered sewing and designing clothing. 

The fact that she practically looked good with any kind of color or style helped, but she wasn’t full of it. She isn’t the type of person to brag, after all, and she never has been. Although, her entire life, people have glorified her for her beauty, so it wasn’t too difficult for her to notice. Maybe she can pull off some jewelry, but that might as well never happen.

Ever since her aunt Ahnjong disappeared, the state of the family has been rocky in terms of finances. They could at least pay off the rent of their house, but buying any excessive or unnecessary clothing, games, consoles, or desserts was not permitted. Jae-Yong had to pay for everyone’s scholarships, and it wasn’t an easy job, either. Therefore, his strictness involving schoolwork made sense. If he found out that Min-Jun was in a club instead of attending after-school tutoring, then he would be furious, and that scared Hyun-a. 

But this time, she wouldn’t be scared anymore. And this time, she’d be standing up for her cousin Min-Jun.

*****

The time finally came. Hyun-a noticed that it had gotten quiet in the household, which was probably because everyone was chilling in their own rooms. Once she saw that it was almost seven, she hopped from her bed and left her room.

_Okay, I can do this. It’s not that hard… Just talk to your uncle. Don’t say the wrong thing._

She checked to see if he was in the living room, and to her contentment, he was sitting on the couch, using his phone for unknown reasons. 

After taking a deep breath, she asked, “Hey, Uncle Jae? Can I talk to you now?”

He turned around to face her and replied, “Of course. Sit down here.” Jae patted down on the empty spot next to him, inviting Hyun-a to take a seat.

“Alright.” Hyun-a sat down, and sighed. “Uh… I probably should’ve told you earlier, but…”

“Is everything alright?”

“Well…” 

This was her chance, and she couldn’t screw it up. This time, she thought over just about everything that was about to come from her mouth, and strived to refrain from being too blunt or rude. 

She finally continued, inquiring, “You know that Min-Jun isn’t in any tutoring, right?” 

This question surprised Jae-Yong and caught him off guard. “He…? He’s been lying to me this entire time.” He crossed his arms and muttered under his breath, “Then what is he doing?”

“Yeah, I know, but I can explain. Please don’t get mad at him.”

“Okay, then what could possibly justify his actions? He should know better. He shouldn’t be trying to escape his studies by making up… This nonsense, and playing video games all day in his room. I…”

“He’s in a club.”

“What…?”

“He’s in the Anime Club. He goes there everyday after school, and that’s how he made his new friends.”

“Why hasn’t he told me any of this? And I-I told him to not join one of those…”

“Uncle Jae, haven’t you noticed anything yet?”

“Noticed what?”

Hyun-a mentally facepalmed, but proceeded to inform him with respect. “Your own son’s been depressed ever since his mom disappeared. It’s even the same for Aera, too.”

“Seriously?” Jae-Yong frustratingly ran his hand across his forehead and wiped his sweat. “He hasn’t told me anything… He’s barely telling me anything. Don’t tell me that he’s scared of me.”

“Yeah, a whole lot. But it’s not like everything sucks for him.”

He mumbled to himself, “I’m such a terrible father. My own children are scared of me.”

“I don’t think you are. I mean, you aren’t my dad, but it sure feels like it. You really care about us.”

“I appreciate it, but how can you view me as caring? I make my kids scared of me…” His eyebrows furrowed. “...Even though they’re supposed to follow the rules, study, don’t take part in nonsense, and do what I tell them to do. It’s not my fault. It isn’t…”

“Do you wanna know what’s helping him feel better?”

“Of course.”

“It took me ages, but I found out that it’s the club.”

“The club? How can something like that…?”

“He normally hates school and all, but ever since he joined that club, he’s been a bit happier. He said that he didn’t wanna make any friends, but he has a few of them now.”

“Ah, so that’s how.”

“I feel really bad for not noticing earlier, ‘cuz I said some really mean things. It probably made things pretty hard for him, and I wanted to say sorry later on.”

“Hyun-a,” Jae-Yong soothed, “You’re a good kid. It couldn’t have been that bad.”

“Well, there’s a lot of stuff I haven’t told you, actually.”

“Seriously? How many secrets is my family hiding from me?”

Hyun-a chuckled, “Heh, but thanks. I didn’t think I was a ‘good kid.’”

“Of course you are. You’re responsible, thoughtful, and mature for your age. I was the exact opposite when I was in middle school.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Jae-Yong laughed, “I’m surprised that I didn’t end up in juvie.” His smile slowly dissipated, and he let out a sigh. “It was your aunt that changed my life, actually. When I entered high school, it was like I completely changed into a different person.”

“That’s neat, I didn’t know that.”

“It’s true. And… Ever since she disappeared, I guess I’ve been quite lost, too. It’s almost like I’ve forgotten how to be a good father. But, you know how much we’re struggling now, right? I have no choice but to lay out these rules. I want my family to be successful.”

“Yeah, I get that. Man, I guess we’ve all really misunderstood you.”

“I wouldn’t blame you guys. Sometimes I worry if I’m not strict enough, or if I’m too mean. I don’t even know anymore at this point. I used to constantly ask myself what…”

They both spoke in unison, “What Ahnjong would do.”

“...Same here,” Hyun-a added. “I’ve been thinking about that way too much.”

“Well, you know what?” Jae-Yong smiled and patted her shoulder. “I used to. I want to be a better father to you and everyone else. Wanna know how?

“How?”

“By being my own person. For most of my life, I’ve been depending on your aunt. But now, I need to do the best that I can to be there for all of you. Now I know that I need to try even harder… So the both of us have learned a lot today.”

“Hah, you’re right. I’ve been tryna figure out what to do with myself, and I honestly have no idea. I wanna handle things the way Ahnjong used to, y’know?”

“I understand. But... I believe in you. Do what Hyun-a would do, and only you can live up to that, okay?”

“Alright… But you’ll let Min stay in his club, right?”

“Well, I’m still a bit iffy on that, but if it makes him happy, then of course. I can try to understand him a bit more, too. Same for everyone else.”

“Thanks Uncle Jae. You’re the best.” 

They both embraced each other in a hug, and smiled widely. At that moment, Hyun-a felt more than just relieved. Sure, she’d still have to apologize to Min-Jun, but at this point, talking to her uncle about everything that has happened feels like more than enough. 

Jae-Yong pulled away and added, “Also, you might not realize it, but I can see you being a great mother.”

“Seriously? That’s a bit over the top…” Hyun-a chuckled, and got up from the couch. “Anyway, thanks for everything. I gotta apologize to Min-Jun.”

“Go ahead. God bless you.” 

Hyun-a left the living room filled with satisfaction. She couldn’t contain her smile, and it only grew as she began to reach Min-Jun’s room.

_I can’t believe I actually did that. I didn’t piss him off, and I actually learned more about him. Oh luck, please don’t run out…_

She was well aware that it wasn’t luck, however. She was slowly but surely changing, and that was something to be proud of. However, if she were to be all giddy about it when confronting Min-Jun, he wouldn’t take her seriously, and she wouldn’t know what to say. So right now, all she had to do was rely on this so-called “luck,” and hope that things turn out well for her once again.

In the middle of all this, Min-Jun and Aera had been playing video games together. They’ve been able to connect to each other a whole lot more, which was unexpected, considering that they aren’t brother and sister. However, as the months passed by and more problems arose, they slowly began to realize that they have a lot in common. 

For example, their anger and frustration only comes out when provoked, and they’re constantly pulled into things they don’t wanna do. 

Although, there was one quality that neither of them shared.

Instead of keeping most of it inside, Aera tends to release her anger by listening to Sepultura and screaming the lyrics of their songs.

Yeah, don’t judge. 

Hyun-a figured that by now, Aera should already be in her room doing whatever, so it should be a good time to speak with Min-Jun. She didn’t care about anything else but patching things up with her cousin. It’s what Rudy would’ve wanted as well, and maybe, from now on, she wouldn’t have to rely on him or anyone else to do what’s right.

Maybe, from now on, she wouldn’t have to rely on Ahnjong. 

She knocked on the door three times, and hoped that Min-Jun would let her in. Sure enough, she heard the sound of footsteps that gradually grew louder as they reached the opposite side of the door. With the twist of the doorknob, Min-Jun appeared in front of her, finally opening the door.

He groaned, “What do you want? I’m streaming.”

“I need to tell you something,” Hyun-a replied. “Please, it’s really important.”

“Oh, is that what you were whispering to Daddy about? Are you plotting something against me?”

“Can I come in, please?”

“Fine.”

Hyun-a entered his room, and followed him as he sat on the bed. She sat beside him, and took another deep breath.

“Alright,” She began, “I don’t really know how to start, but… Are you gonna talk to me?”

“Do I have to?” Min-Jun averted his eyes, and looked to the ground.

“I mean, you don’t have to, but I’d really like it if you did.”

“Just get with it.”

“Okay, so, uh, I’m gonna say this in the most simple way possible.” Hyun-a sincerely folded her hands and gave Min-Jun a look of concern. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for scaring you, being bossy, and saying mean things. I bet I really made you upset, didn’t I?”

“Obviously. Couldn’t you tell?”

“Yeah, of course. I haven’t exactly been a good cousin to you at all, but… I decided to fix everything today.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, wanna know what your dad and I were talking about? He’s letting you stay in the club. He isn’t mad about it, either.”

“W-Wait, you told him?! How dare you?”

“Relax, everything’s fine. He wants you to be happy, so he’s letting you stay. I was wrong about the club all those months ago. I should’ve understood that it made you happy, too.” 

“Oh, okay…”

“Y’know what that means too, right? You can talk to him about what y’all do everyday. You don’t have to literally hide everything anymore.”

“Yeah, I guess. That’s nice…”

“...So, do you accept my apology?”

“Do I have to?”

“It’d be great if you did.”

Min-Jun smiled and chuckled, “I was kidding. Yeah, we’re good. I’ve been waiting for you to say those things for ages.”

“Yeah, I know. Sorry I left you hanging.”

He joshed, “Well, I ain’t forgiving you for how long it took, so make it up to me by making some pizza.”

“Wait, I have to make the pizza? Don’t we have some frozen pizza in the fridge?”

“Yeah, but you gotta make it yourself from scratch. Aera and I aren’t helping you, either. I bet Chin-wa and Hana would be happy to help, though.”

“Haha, funny,” Hyun-a giggled, “But alright, I’ll make some pizza. Maybe I can ask Uncle Jae to help.”

“Sure, and watch him suck at it.”

“C’mon, he isn’t that bad at it. I bet you suck.”

“Dude, you’re talking to someone who bakes random crap for their siblings every week.”

“Keyword: ‘Crap.’”

“Shut up.”

And so, in the end, it was easier than Hyun-a thought it would be. Maybe confrontation isn’t so bad after all. And looking back on all that she learned, Miette and Jae-Yong were right. No more relying on Ahnjong, and no more regrets.

From then on, she would try to do what Hyun-a would do. 


	20. Because of Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hyun-a’s in a good mood, but Colston isn’t. Therefore, Hyun-a tries to cheer him up.

After all that had occured, Hyun-a figured that everything else in her life might go well. She could join the Drama Club again, talk to her old friends more often, and help Colston revive the Astronomy Club. It wasn’t like her to be so excited over a single happening, but her life was starting to turn around, and that was something anyone would be proud of (unless, of course, it wasn't for the better good). 

But today was the day she’d fix everything with the Astronomy Club. For the past few months, both she and Colston have been having even more trouble than ever. On certain days, they end up having to host club meetings with just the two of them, no matter how many people they invited. It was an udder failure, and that’s what Colston believed, but Hyun-a wanted to keep going, even with all that negativity. If it weren’t for her, Colston would’ve given up a long time ago. 

She was anxiously waiting for class to be over. The day seemingly went on for an eternity, which wasn’t rare. She laid her head on the table, and let out a sigh. 

_ This is taking forever. It never really takes this long, does it? Seriously… I wish something would happen. _

Sure enough, she noticed two students whispering to each other. One was protesting against the other.

_ Are they having an argument? _

One of the students stood up from his chair, and hollered repeatedly, “Hey, guess what?! Ali likes—“

“Shut up!” Ali pulled on his shirt and urged him to sit back down.

“Do you have anything else to say?” Asked the teacher. “If so, then say it in the principal’s office.”

“...S-Sorry,” The boy apologized. He sat down and rolled his eyes.

Ali gave him a smug look, which only agitated him even more.

All Hyun-a could do was stare in shock.

_ I guess something really did happen. _

And luckily for her, only ten minutes later, the teacher announced the class’ dismissal, and the bell rang. She left her seat, and hastily ran out of the classroom. Her impatience especially shone through, which she wasn’t content with, but that would be fixed eventually. Not everything could be fixed at one. 

She began to wonder if, for once, Colston would be in a good mood. It’s not like he wasn’t mean. In fact, he was one of the nicest people you would ever meet (despite his frequent cursing). Not only was he sweet, but he was astonishingly smart for his age. Hyun-a couldn’t believe he was only in 7th grade now. At this point, she expected him to be in at least high school, but on second thought, he probably wouldn’t last a single day. Engaging in constant fights and arguments weren’t his cup of tea. And imagine how much he’d complain everyday… It was painful to even think about.

Such a good guy like him shouldn’t even be complaining, though. And that’s exactly what Hyun-a thought. He was into cool things, he went with the flow and didn’t rebuke, and _maybe_ he a little good-looking. He would definitely qualify as a “popular kid” if it weren’t for his negativity. 

The world wasn’t ending, and he wouldn’t die anytime soon. 

Sounds familiar.

“Hey, I’m here.” Hyun-a burst through the door, and entered his clubroom. “So, how’s it—“ 

To her dismay, she was met with Colston laying his head on the table and muttering complaints over who-knows-what. Once he noticed her entry, he looked up and faked a smile.

“Oh, hey. I’m just chilling near my death bed.”

Hyun-a raised her eyebrow. “Sesang-e, you look miserable.” 

“Yeah, I always am. No surprise.” 

She mumbled to herself, “Deo na ppajyeossdago malhaji masibsio…”

“What? Sorry, I don’t speak Swedish.”

“Uh…” She paused, “What happened? Still no luck?”

Colston groaned and replied, “Nope. Everything sucks. I lost motivation for the flyers, and, uh, remember that kid who got mad at me last week? He’s probably coming back. It’s all going to shit.”

Hyun-a faked a chuckle, “Hahah, but is there any good news?”

“For once, yeah. Guess what? I found out a few minutes ago that they’re gonna shut down the Astronomy Club. Isn’t that awesome?”

“...Wait, what?”

“Huh? I thought you’d be happy.”

“Are you kidding me? We’ve spent all this time trying to revive this thing, and you’re happy that it’s gonna be shut down?!”

“Uh… I think I got a girlfriend, too.”

“That’s not the problem!”

Colston sighed. “Look, I was kidding. And that was sarcasm. I’m depressed beyond belief here.”

“So, what are we gonna do? There has to be a way.” Hyun-a didn’t expect this to happen whatsoever, so of course she didn’t know what to say or do. Why couldn’t have this been earlier, when she was on a roll? 

“There’s no way. They’re shutting it down, and it’s official. We can—“

“Wait, first of all, how did you find out?”

“A teacher came up to me in the hallway. That’s what she told me. Most of our teachers are full of shit, but she was actually being serious. That’s a first.”

“Oh. You didn’t protest or anything?”

“Hell no. You can’t just, like, go against authority. I’d get in trouble.”

Of course, sometimes, abiding by the rules wasn’t always gonna be a benefit…

“I get it,” Hyun-a calmly replied, as she sat down next to Colston, “But don’t you think we gotta keep trying? There has to be a way.”

“Okay, believe me... As much as I wanna keep doing this, there’s really no point. So far, we’ve only got two people interested, and they’re already too busy with their own clubs anyway. And I’m probably bothering you with all of this crap, so you can go if you want.”

There had to be a way to snap him out of it. There was still hope, and Hyun-a wasn’t gonna let him give up that easily. Surely a single roadblock wasn’t going to ruin everything, right?

She cursed under her breath, “...Damn you, stupid downer.”

He wasn’t gonna lie, that surprised him. “Hey, only  _ I’m _ allowed to cuss.”

“I have rights. And I didn’t say that on accident, either.”

“Wow, I never knew friends talked to each other that way.”

“Ugh, listen, you…” She furrowed her eyebrows and gave him a stern look. “I care about you as much as you care about astronomy. That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to help you in the first place. A year later, no progress, so what? These things take forever, and if you’re gonna be as impatient as I am, do it right, you downer.”

He had no words. “...Wow. Thanks, mom.”

“So, what’re we gonna do?”

“Bury ourselves in a pit of shame.”

“I…” 

_ Calm down, Hyun-a. This isn’t even a huge problem. Calm down… _

“Alright, sure, but why else do you wanna give up?”

“Because…” He took a deep breath and frowned. “‘Cuz it’s not like anyone’s interested in astronomy, anyway.” He mumbled, “Even if they were, they wouldn’t appreciate me.” This was inaudible to Hyun-a.

“What makes you think that?”

“Well, uh, it’s kinda hard to explain, but it’s like everyone’s moved on to the next big thing. Remember when all those kids went through that sports phase, and everyone wanted to be on a team? Yeah, that died out a few weeks later. It’s all based on the TV they watch, I bet. And here I am, stuck watching documentaries on space.  _ Space. _ ”

“I guess you’re right.”

Hyun-a recalled back to the time she was young, and wanted to write her own story. She would talk about it with her friends, but it just wasn’t their thing. She got frustrated, so she began to change up the plot and genre over and over again until people were satisfied, but it never worked out. 

Maybe that was the case for Colston, too.

Again, she was surprised that not too many people were into astronomy anymore, but things change, whether you like it or not. But was she going to let Colston be depressed and feel alone? Absolutely not. She wanted him to be happy no matter what. It’s what he deserved.

“I’m surprised you haven’t left yet,” He commented.

“Of course not! I know, not everyone’s gonna like what you do, but—”

“That’s the problem! Why can’t I fit in with anyone else? I wanna have more people to talk to. I wanna have actual conversations… But that’s never gonna happen. I’m too selfish and full of shit. Don’t you agree?”

“...The way you’re talking is full of shit. I’m really worried about you, y’know. I can’t believe you think all of that.”

“Well, you don’t have to be so worried about me. You’re only here because some teacher told you to help me.”

“Colston, you don’t get it. It started out that way, but…”

“See? You don’t even care.”

“I do! I’ve already told you that a million times. I want you to be happy. And don’t think that you’re a piece of crap, because you’re not.”

“But how?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I like being around you, don’t I? Why would I be talking to you right now if you were a piece of crap?” 

“I dunno…”

“I like you.”

“Oh—Wait, what? I-I didn’t think you… Uh, thought of me that way…”

“There we go, that got your attention.”

“Oh.”

“So, do you believe me? Are you gonna stop treating yourself like trash now?”

“You seriously expect me to just stop? Even if I do, it won’t change anything. It’s just a fact! Who else would even wanna talk to me? To them, I’m just a weirdo who’s obsessed with space!”

“Calm down, that’s—“

“Who else would wanna hang out with someone like me? Tell me right now!”

“Colston, I—“

“I just wanna make some friends…”

And somehow, those words stood out to Hyun-a the most. 

She didn’t even know how, either. Was this what Min-Jun had wished for? Everything was coming together, and she could finally understand entirely. 

Based on what she’s learned, he obviously made the club to make friends, even if that wasn’t what he wanted to do in the first place. Perhaps he was thrown into it, and didn’t know about all that would happen. He didn’t think much of the club at first, but maybe, as time passed, he got used to it. That’s why he’s been happier. When Hyun-a told him to leave, it made him all defensive, and that was why he didn’t wanna talk to her anymore. 

Finally, she’s figured out why the club meant so much to him. Just apologizing didn’t help her solve too much, but it did help her realize that the Anime Club meant more to him than anything. Forcing him to leave was her mistake, and nobody else's. Luckily, this burden was lifted off of her, and she could move on. 

And now, maybe she can give what Min-Jun experienced to Colston. Maybe she can share it with everyone else.

“We all do,” She began. “It’s the same for my cousin. This school really sucks, doesn’t it? It’s hard to do anything here.”

“Look at you, being negative.”

“Yeah, but… Do you wanna join the Anime Club?”

“...Huh? What’s that? Hyun-a, y’know I’m not a dork, right?”

“I know, I know, but it’s not what it sounds like. You wanna make friends, right?”

“Well, yeah, but all I’m interested in is space stuff.”

“That’s okay. I bet that you could talk about that stuff all you want there, and it wouldn’t get on anyone’s nerves. So, like I said, you can make friends or something.”

“...I dunno. And, I thought that you wanted to revive the Astronomy Club? What happened to that?”

“No, I’m not joining the club. I’m gonna keep trying to invite people here.”

“Oh, okay… Crap.”

“Huh? Did I say something weird again?”

“No, it’s just that, uh… I only wanna join if you are too. Is that fine?”

Then, her inner fangirl awoke once again.

“Of course. I’ll do anything!” She tightly hugged Colston, and closed her eyes, getting totally lost in thought. “Yeah, we can go upstairs, hold hands, and walk into the—“

“I’m sorry, but you’re crushing me. Please let go.”

“Oh.” She speedily backed away, finally giving him some room to breathe. “Sorry about that. Forget I did that.” What was that about? “Anyway, I’ll go ahead and join. I won’t forget about your club, though.”

“Thanks.”

“Alright, so let’s go.”

And so, they both left the clubroom, and made their way upstairs. Colston felt quite nervous, but Hyun-a was filled with confidence. There was no need to ensure that he’d have a great time, or successfully make new friends. If this was a club that Min-Jun deeply treasured, then she trusted the fact that it’d all be okay. Sure, it might be a little overwhelming, since neither she or Colston had visited the clubroom before, but surely they can catch up eventually. 

Once they arrived, Hyun-a slowly twisted the doorknob and opened the door. Colston stood behind her, and braced for the worst. 

And of course, the first words they heard just  _ had _ to be suggestive.

“Hey, Lisa, what are you doing? Are you trying to flirt with me?”

“No way! This is what you get for trashing my account, you mugger!”

“Jesus christ, get off of him! Your account isn’t that worth it!”

“Wait, gimme back my phone! I need that to survive! Give it back, you life-stealer!”

“Back at ya! Want me to tie you up, so you don’t steal anything anymore?!”

“What the hell, you guys?”

“Please calm down… Put the phone down…”

“Dodaeche mwoya?” Hyun-a cautiously walked in and grimaced. “You guys are terrible at first impressions.” 

Min-Jun replied, “Oh, hi. Sorry you had to see this. They usually aren’t this dumb.”

“Dumb…” Lisa muttered, “Dumb… Dumb?! Dumb?! Are you calling us dumb?”

“Yikes,” Dennis mumbled. 

“Don’t forget that this is mainly your fault, dude. I’m not giving you your phone back, by the way.”

“Aww man.”

Rudy pounded his hand on the table, which grabbed everyone’s attention.

This wasn’t good.

“Guys…” You could sense the anger in his voice, and it was scary. “Stop yelling. Please. Lisa, give the phone back. Dennis, un-ban her Instagram.”

“...Fine.” Lisa returned the phone back to Dennis, and sat in her seat.

“Sorry, man. I’ll fix that later.” Dennis sat down as well, and put his phone back in his pocket.

“Woah, bro, that was amazing. I could hardly recognize you,” Ruby complimented.

“That’s what I was scared of…” Rudy got up from his seat, in order to greet Hyun-a and Colston. “I’m sorry about all that, uh… I didn’t expect to see you here, Hyun.”

“Hah, it’s fine,” She replied, “And yeah, I actually came here with someone else. We wanna join the club.”

“Wait, seriously?” He mumbled, “Our video really  _ did _ work…”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing, nothing. Who’s that behind you?”

“Oh, he’s Colston. I think he’s in… Grandma girl’s class.”

“‘Grandma girl?’ That’s me,” Ruby chimed in, “‘Sup! My name is Ruby, though.”

“Sorry, I probably forgot.” Hyun-a turned around to face Colston. “Aren’t you gotta say hi?”

“Uh…” Colston walked up to Rudy, and greeted, “Hi, I’m Colston. I’m not that important. What else do I say…?”

“Rudy, stop drooling,” Min-Jun remarked. 

“I’m not even—Okay.” Rudy smiled and replied, “My name is Rudy. We aren’t like this everyday, I promise. But it’s nice to meet you.”

Dennis hollered, “He speaks of lies!”

“Uhh, okay.” Colston quipped, “But it looks like someone here’s on the drugs.”

“Y’know,” Min-Jun added, “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“What’s up with the shy act?” Hyun-a chuckled, “Just talk how you normally do. Y’know what that means, right?”

Of course he knew what that meant. Colston asked, “...Guys, can I curse?”

Ruby assured, “To vent frustration? Sure. To yell at us? Probably not.” 

“Good. Words literally can’t express how nervous I am, and I feel like everything’s gonna go to shit.”

“I like this guy already,” Min-Jun commented a bit too seriously.

Lisa exclaimed, “Welcome to the club! I’m the co-leader, and as you can tell, I’m pretty cute and awesome. Please follow my Insta when I get it back. Please.”

Colston nervously chuckled, “Sorry, I don’t have—“

“Lisa,” Rudy urged, “Please stop the self-promoting.” He took a deep breath and attempted to calm down. “Anyway… We normally have six people, but Nagisa isn’t here, for some reason. They haven’t been here for a week.”

“Hmm,” Dennis joked, “Maybe they moved back to Japan!”

Ruby had been worried the entire time. Nagisa hasn’t been responding to her calls or messages, which is a shame. She’s desperate to know if they’re alright, but maybe they’re just busy. Yeah, that’s probably it. However, her worry kept her quiet for the most part. 

“Anyway,” Rudy continued, “Welcome to the Anime Club. Sorry if we’re making you nervous… At this point it’s kinda our thing. Wait, no, I shouldn’t say that. It’s bad.”

“It’s fine, thanks!” Hyun-a looked at Colston and insisted, “C’mon, let’s sit down.” 

“Okay.” Colston followed Hyun-a towards the desk, and they both took a seat. 

Rudy sat down as well, and smiled widely. “I’m glad that we found some more people. We’ve been struggling a lot.” 

“Oh, really?” Hyun-a wondered, “I thought you guys were smashing it…”

“Heheh, ‘smashing,’” Dennis snickered. 

“Ugh, great,” Min-Jun whined, “We have the giggling schoolgirl, popular transfer student, tomboy, quiet kid, pervert, mom, and now the cursing kid. Guess who I like the most.”

Hyun-a questioned, “The mom?”

“No.”

“I’m disappointed.”

Dennis teased, “Hah, I bet that popular transfer student really likes the cursing kid.”

“A romance for the ages…” Lisa sighed, “Ah, I’m so lonely.”

“I don’t like him,” Rudy rebuked. He leaned in closer towards the desk, and rested his head on his arms. “I thought you did, Lisa.”

“What?”

“Oh, you two,” Min-Jun began, “In case you didn’t know already, Lisa falls for every guy she sees. Be careful.”

“Hey! I mean, you aren’t wrong, but…!”

Hyun-a curiously asked, “Why isn’t Ruby talking? She’s been really quiet. Is she another Colston?”

“O-Oh!” Ruby chuckled, “No, I’m not. I’m just thinking about stupid stuff, sorry.”

“Alright, if you say so.” Although, Hyun-a knew that something was up, but now wasn’t the time to ask about it.

“Colston, huh?” Dennis piped, “Ooh, I know! I’ll call you Coal!” 

Colston cringed at the terrible nickname. “...What?” 

“I’m gonna call you Coal from now on! Man, the pun potential…!”

“Damn, I’m not really looking forward to that, but okay.” 

There were plenty of things to look forward to, and Colston knew that, but maybe he should take things slow before dedicating himself to the club. He didn’t even know who these people were, so sticking by Hyun-a might be his best bet for the first couple of weeks. 

He began to wonder if, maybe, these people could help him with the Astronomy Club. Surely he should find out what their interests are, and if they end up liking the same things he does. To him, it seemed like a miracle, but it’d be an amazing one at that. 

So, from then on, if he and Hyun-a stay together, maybe his dreams could become a reality. 

And if the Anime Club continued to grow, maybe they could make their school a better place.

But all Colston could think about was Nita.


	21. Never Giving Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inaya continues to pursue her dreams.

There was a reason why Inaya couldn’t meet up with Ruby and Nagisa.

When she was younger, Inaya would always spend time with her younger sister, Nakia. Whenever Nakia would smile, Inaya would as well. They made each other happy, and they loved each other more than anything in the world. Even though Nakia was a bit more cold and distant at times, she truly cared for her sister and was willing to do anything to make her happy, especially due to their family’s long-lasting dilemmas. And additionally, despite their differences, the two siblings could always agree on one thing: making their family’s business successful once and for all.

Their father had originally owned a café, and although he went through multiple trials and tribulations, he was an excellent businessman, and the café grew to be well-known and admired among the public. But that very fact was what ruined their lives.

Spending another day off basking in melancholy, Inaya unenthusiastically brought out her notebook and pencil, forcing herself to draw for the sake of finding something to do. She’d always find herself sketching her future image of the café she worked at; the public creating lines to even get inside, an abundance of skilled workers, and a lively, uplifting environment. She considered herself lucky enough to even work there, especially since it was located in the area’s largest mall (despite hating crowded places such as those). But then again, she considered the fact that she was most likely only hired because barely anyone was willing to work there, or even volunteer in the first place. She did her job well, but to her, it was never enough.

As time passed by, she slowly got over her fear of crowded areas, and it was especially thanks to Ruby and Nagisa. She didn’t even know them for too long, and their meeting was short, but the fact that even more kind people like them existed throughout the world, Inaya became extra motivated to work at the café (more than she already was) everyday, and possibly become longtime friends with other people. And after that, she thought that maybe it’d be a good idea if the café could switch locations, or have multiple options around the state. That way, the business would be far more successful in spite of its terrible state. More than anything, Inaya was determined, and was able to let her hardworking nature shine through the most through a job she loved.

However, something was missing. But what was it?

_...Why does this room feel so empty whenever I have a day off? I don’t understand… There’s not much else that I do here. What could it be? Am I forgetting to do something? Am I missing something? But…  _

She then recalled the moment she and Ruby had their first proper conversation at the café.

_ Oh, that’s right. I promised Ruby and Nagisa that I’d go to the Fourth of July event with them. I can’t believe I actually lied like that. I can’t believe myself. That means I just have to try harder to keep my promises…! But, still… will I even be able to? At a time like this? _

She really didn’t want to think about what happened. Not on her day to relax. And tossing a quick glance at a framed photo of her younger sister only worsened the pain. She just wanted it all to stop. When not at work, all she could feel was a sense of betrayal and an abundance of regret and agony. Although she wasn’t the kind of person to dwell on the past, she knew that what had previously occurred would affect the rest of her life, and even her family knew of such a thing. It was too obvious, and it hurt.

And seemingly all at once, the words of Inaya’s previous friends rang in her ears.

_ “Jeez, shouldn’t you just quit? There’s seriously no point to keep on working at that place. It’s not like it’s gonna be successful.” _

_ “Do you realize that there’s no point in keeping up this act of yours, right?” _

_ “The person you’re looking for is never coming back. If you really wanna be happy, then you should forget about it before everything gets worse. Give it up.” _

But Inaya was willing to do anything  _ but  _ give up. Hearing those words was worse than torture for her. She promised herself ever since the beginning that she would keep her spirits up and keep trying her best, even when she was at her worst. She wanted to accomplish things that would someday help her connect with the one thing she loved the most.

After a few more minutes of sketching, she found herself to feel relaxed, but closed up her notebook and rubbed her forehead. Her fleeting relaxation only seemed to last for a second.

_ I feel uneasy now, too. Maybe I’m just sick. That’s probably what’s happening... But I haven’t been coughing at all, and my temperature should be fine. It still feels so spacious here. So… empty. Maybe I haven’t been getting enough sleep. Or maybe there’s just something wrong with me? I doubt that, but… I need to be in good condition for work tomorrow when the café opens, or else we’ll continue to get bad reviews. Then I’ll get nervous and forget to imagine the customers are Ruby and Nagisa… Ah, what am I supposed to do? _

She laid her head onto the table and shut her eyes.

_ I won’t reach my goal like this… it’d be impossible. And I know I should ask Ruby or my other friends for some help, but it’s not like they’d understand, right? I’d just be confusing them, and I’d hear more of those... words. But I don’t wanna give up, and I never will. I just… just… _

At that moment, in her mind, she imagined the beautiful scenery of the mountains in Missouri, calling back to a memory of her and Dakia moving to their new home. The sky was colored in a beautiful shade of blue, and the clouds began to dissipate as they continued to drive around the area. There was a gentle breeze which caused their hair to sway, and it slowly but surely put Dakia to sleep, Inaya sitting beside her with a smile. It was perfect.

Not only that, but the memories of what she had originally aspired to become rummaged throughout her mind. Back then, she was able to freely wear stylish clothing which stood out from the crowd without any hesitation. On the other hand, Nakia could do the same, but in Inaya’s opinion, Nakia was able to pull it off better. Their shared dreams were to become models, and hopefully costume designers as well. The last thing they could think about was running a café or restaurant. They had drafted a wide variety of outfit designs on their shared notebook, and imagined themselves walking down the catwalk. It was slightly childish, but it made them happy, and with every moment they spent together, they felt a contentment that they could never experience elsewhere. 

Inaya wanted those days back. Oh, how she missed them. Her current life wasn’t something to complain about in her opinion, but something was  _ definitely  _ missing. Not only did her room feel empty, but so did her very soul. It was almost as if a part of her was removed, or snatched away from her. She wanted to continue thinking that someday, her greatest wish would come true, if only she could keep doing her best at everything she would do. Even if such a reality was distant, she was even willing to wait her entire lifetime. It was the only thing she wanted.

*****

The next day, she punctually arrived at school and calmly arrived at her locker. She wasn’t expecting much out of the day, but she thought it’d be nice if something, or  _ anything  _ exciting could occur.

At least her wish was granted. All she had to do was wait ‘till classes were dismissed at the end of the day.

Walking down the hallway towards her locker, she was unknowingly being watched by a mature-looking girl with crimson-colored hair wrapped up in a bun.

“Hey, you!” she called out.

Inaya jumped a little. “H-Huh? Who said that?”

“I did!” Making her grand entrance, Kaitlyn ran towards Inaya at an increasing pace. “It’s you! You’re the one who—!” Tripping over nothing, she then fell to the floor with a thud. It was like something out of a sitcom. A certain someone would’ve appreciated it.

“Hey, uh, are you alright?” Inaya walked up to Kaitlyn and kneeled down to her level. “Are you hurt or anything? What just happened?”

“Aha!” Kaitlyn rapidly stood back up once again, Inaya ‘cowering in fear,’ still kneeled down on the floor. “I finally found ya! You’re that cute girl with the blue hair!” 

“Huh…?”

“Oh, wait.” Kaitlyn faked a cough, mumbling, “Dagnabbit, is this really her? She’s not actin’ like I thought she would be.”

“Uh…” 

Kaitlyn cleared her throat. “You’re Inaya, aren’t ya?”

“I am, but how do you know my—?”

“Hah, I knew it all along! It really is you!” Kaitlyn picked up Inaya from the floor and grasped onto her hands, bouncing up and down. “You’re exactly the kind of girl us Drama Club people need!”

“What...? I don’t even—“

“Okay, I hate to admit this, but we haven’t been lucky with recruitin’ members lately. I can’t even bother asking Hyun-a to help me, since she’ll probably just scold me and eat my guts out, but you get it, ya?”

“Who’s Hyun-a?”

“That ain’t gonna matter! Because…!” Kaitlyn placed her hands on her hips. “Look at ya! I thought you’d be the provacative type, and not the dumb, airheaded shy girl, but that doesn’t even matter anymore, either! Because  _ look at ya! _ ”

“I don’t understand…”

“Are you sure you’re only just in high school?”

“Uh, yeah…” Kaitlyn’s presence was a bit too overwhelming for Inaya, but at least it was an opportunity she was willing to take in order to make a new friend she could trust. 

“No way! Like, for real, you’re  _ super  _ pretty, y’know? You’re givin’ off those popular theater kid vibes, and I’m lovin’ it! I knew it when I saw you passing by a few days ago! I just knew it! Not to mention that you’re stacked, and you have flawless hair! What shampoo do you use?”

“Huh? Oh, uh—“

“Y’know what, nevermind, I’ll just figure it out myself by gettin’ a whiff of your hair, ‘cuz as a matter of fact, I happen to be super special.”

“What?”

“Let me smell your hair, cailín.”

“No, wait…!” Inaya stroked her hair as if she were protecting it. “I don’t even know who you are, and I don’t know what’s going on!”

Kaitlyn’s eyebrow twitched. “Excuse me? You don’t even know who I am?” She groaned, exasperating, “Ugh, and I even praised ya so many times in, like, one minute, and you don’t even know who I am?”

“I’ve just never seen you before, that’s all.”

“Hmph.” Kaitlyn crossed her arms. She then bore a prideful expression. “Well, whatever, I guess it can’t be helped, since you’re the kinda person I’ve been lookin’ for. You just received special treatment from  _ the  _ Kaitlyn, so you better not forget this!”

“Ah, so ‘Kaitlyn.’”

“I bet you have some sorta problem with my name, dontcha?”

“No, I don’t…!”

“Just kiddin’. So, anyway…” Her eyes sparkled with determination. “Inaya, cailín, can you join the Drama Club?”

“H-Huh? Oh…” Inaya looked downwards with uncertainty. Making her final decision rather quickly, she then proclaimed, “I’m sorry, but I’m busy with other things I have to do. I won’t be able to take part in those kinds of things.”

“Oh come on.”

“Ah, I’m sorry! I just really wanna focus on… on…”

“On what?”

“Doing… other things.”

“You said the same thing a few seconds ago. Spill the beans!”

“I, uh…” 

Kaitlyn sighed. “Seriously. I guess I can’t find anyone who thinks like I do. Oh well. At least you’re not an annoyin’ girl.”

“What do you mean?”

“Later, hot stuff.” Kaitlyn made her way towards the stairs, but before she could continue…

“Wait!” said Inaya. “Uh, you said that you’ve been looking for ‘people like me’ for your Drama Club, right? And it seems like you take it really seriously, and that’s great! So, maybe…” 

Kaitlyn turned around, her interest piqued. “Maybe what?”

“...I barely know who you are, and I can’t join your club, but maybe I can help you find some people!”

“Nah, everyone else just sucks.”

“What?”

“Why else would I go after random people, lookin’ for ‘em aimlessly, huh? You just remind me of Hyun-a the most, so I thought I could approach ya. You get what I’m saying?”

“Kind of… it seems like this ‘Hyun-a’ you’re talking about is important to you, but how do I remind you of her?”

“You’re hella gorgeous, just like her. Both of y’all literally radiate the ideal kind of stage presence, so why not just admit it, y’know? Jesus, that’s why I’ve been looking for you in the first place, cailín!”

“Oh, I didn’t… know that.” Inaya tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “But am I really that kind of ideal person you’ve been looking for? Are you sure you aren’t looking for someone else that just looks like me?”

“Well, there  _ is  _ Alicia, and she’s basically the same as you and Hyun-a in this case, but apparently she’s had some beef with the people in our club, so that won’t do, y’know? We gotta have someone who barely anyone knows, and that’s you!”

“Oh…” Inaya shook her head. “You’ll have to find someone else, though. I’m sorry for disappointing you, but I’m busy with the café, and—“

“A café?”

Inaya gasped and put her hands over her mouth. “Uh, I mean…”

After a few seconds of a seemingly never ending silence, Kaitlyn lightly chuckled. “...You’re so ghetto!” She blurted, bursting out into laughter. 

“W-What?”

“Dude, you should’ve said that at the start! Being ghetto ain’t the problem, but if you work at a friggin’  _ café _ , you’re obviously not gonna be able to attend the club. You just wasted both of our times.”

“I’m sorry… I just thought you’d get really upset at me, I don’t know.”

“Oh, so you’ve recognized by stage presence? It’s the most important thing ever, so I’m glad it got to ya. But just so you know, I’m not scary. Are you the type of girl who’s scared of hot people or somethin’?”

“I’m not. Sorry, it’s just my bad. I guess I worry too much, ahah,” Inaya faked a chuckle. “But I do wanna join a club, I really do! I just feel like, more than anything, I should focus on making the café I work at extra successful before I do anything else. Believe me, if everything were fixed right now, I’d be in more than five clubs.”

“Well, at least I have some reassurance.” Kaitlyn shrugged. “That’s good enough. But you’re still gonna help me with finding new members, aren’t ya?”

“I thought you didn’t want me to do that.”

“Well, I thought about it, and now you can just think of it as some sorta test for the future. If you’re able to find me at least ten new members for the Drama Club without any trouble, then I’ll be assured that for the future, you can handle just about anythin’ after your little café thingie goes well. So, how about it?”

“That…” Inaya nodded with a grin. “Yeah, that sounds good. I’ll do my best!”

“Epic. And if you dare disappoint me, imma kill ya.”

“Ahah… So, when do you want me to find the members?”

“Hmm. Tomorrow after our last period would be great. I have some...  _ important _ stuff to do tonight, that’s all.”

She had to find a way to hide the fact she had a failing grade in English and needed to re-do thirteen of her tests.

“Oh, alright. Also,” Inaya added, “Before you go, uh… I’m sorry I was a bit scared of you at first. You just kinda overwhelmed me.”

“Yeah, I overwhelmed you with my stage presence, that’s for sure. You ain’t ever gonna see a girl this pretty for the rest of your life!”

“Ahah…” Inaya chuckled and waved goodbye. “Well, I’ll see you later.”

“Later, skater.” Kaitlyn walked down the stairs. Once she arrived downstairs, to save herself from the embarrassment, she first checked to see if there was anyone in her surroundings. Once the coast was clear, she bore the widest grin and pumped her fist up in the air out of accomplishment.

Inaya walked back towards her locker with a smile of contentment and confidence.

_ I actually ended up making a new friend today…! And if I succeed in helping her, maybe we’ll be able to get along well forever and ever, and we can spend time together, too! If things work out tomorrow, I gotta tell Ruby and Nagisa! I know I should only be focusing on the café, but things like these… I like them. It’s refreshing. Not only is my dream coming true at the same time, but I can meet other people. Other people who can cheer me on. If I can keep this up, then… _

*****

After a rather dull evening of working at the café, Inaya bore a frown, entering her room and placing her things on the floor.

_ Ah, I didn’t want to worry about so many things now. Not after I accomplished something at school. Why have I been ordered to work less hours than usual, lately? Something must be going on… but what? It’s not like we have enough workers to fill in for the others when they’re gone. Don’t tell me the manager is starting to give up…?  _

She wouldn’t let her achievements go to waste that easily. Not because of some random manager who decided to give up and close the café. She knew little about this business world; only what her father had told her. But she figured that it couldn’t have been that easy to just close a business without any warning. All of this just meant that she had to work harder. She didn’t have a problem with that fact, but all she wanted was for her one wish to come true. 

“Inaya?”

Immediately hearing her name being called from elsewhere, Inaya turned around, only to be greeted by her mother by the doorframe. 

“Did you just get home?” she continued.

Inaya nodded and forced a smile upon her face. “Oh, yeah, I did.”

“You look depressed, sweetie. Was everything alright at the café today?”

“Huh?” Inaya desperately wanted to check the mirror to double-check her expression.

“Do you think that I won’t ever notice? I’m your own mother. The days you come home after school, you seem happy, but whenever you arrive after your shift at the café, you act differently.”

“Well, that’s because…” She knew coming up with an excuse was worthless, so she didn’t bother to complete her sentence. 

Her mother took note of this, as she usually did, and briefly sighed. “There’s things you haven’t been telling me. I know it.” She patted her daughter’s back. “Do you feel comfortable with telling me now? I know I’m not your father, but…”

“It’s not like I don’t wanna tell you. It’s just, uh…” Inaya solemnly faced downwards. “Even if I did want to tell Papa, he wouldn’t listen or care. But that’s okay. I just feel like… like nothing would change if I told anyone.”

“How so? I’m listening.”

Inaya hesitantly replied, her breath hitching, “I know getting Dakia back is almost impossible. Papa wouldn’t approve of it either; Dakia even being around us, but… is it weird that I still wanna keep trying? It’d be stupid to just give everything up. I wanna be able to talk to her again. Even if it’s only once.”

Her mother firmly nodded. “I understand. I feel the same way too. She’s  _ my  _ daughter as well. You should’ve told me you were upset about all of this sooner.”

“I know. I just thought you wouldn’t feel the same, and that you’d say my dreams are worthless and all of that.”

“And what makes you think that?”

“My classmates… they keep telling me to give up. I’ve felt like it was a mistake to tell them about my sister for ages. I know what they’re saying isn’t true, and I’m not gonna take it into consideration at all. It just hurts.”

“Well, I would never say such things. They’re just stupid kids.” She nervously scratched her head, holding back a certain statement she strongly desired to confess. “But even if nobody else does, I support you. I can keep talking to your father, and we can bring Dakia back someday. I promise. Just keep doing what you usually do, alright?”

Touched, Inaya softly smiled and looked up to her mother. “Alright! Thanks, Mom.”

“Glad to see you feeling better again. If you ever want to visit my room and hang out with me for a while, the doors are open.” She glanced at the notebook lying on Inaya’s desk with a teasing grin. “Unless you want to draw for a little while.”

Inaya’s eyes slowly widened. “...Did you look?”

“Maybe a little, the other day.”

“Mom!”

“I couldn’t help it! Who wouldn’t love to see their daughter’s talent?”

“It’s just a little embarrassing…”

“Well, you shouldn’t be embarrassed. You’re a very talented girl. Even you should know that the most. It’s a shame your classmates haven’t noticed it yet.”

“Ahah…”

And with that, her mother left her room, leaving Inaya by herself, developing—this time—a genuine smile on her face. She walked to her bed and comfortably laid down.

_ That felt… really nice. If only I could’ve talked to her properly without feeling nervous at least once… but I still made some progress, I think. But I should be worried about her, shouldn’t I? If she’s been trying to negotiate with Papa this entire time, and she’s gonna keep on doing it, won’t Papa get angry? Then that’ll only decrease our chances of getting Nakia back. But… I’m sure Mom knows what she’s doing. Right now, I just have to worry about the café and helping that Kaitlyn girl with her club’s recruitment tomorrow. I can do this.  _

And with that in mind for the rest of the night, Inaya could hardly get any rest. It was like her to barely get any hours of sleep, so this time was no different than the others. She was the type of person to be so obsessed, and ever so excited over her goals and upcoming events, that receiving a healthy sleep throughout the night was a rare occurrence. But she was still able to handle it. She just had to wake up early to prevent herself from being too tired to get ready for school, right? It was something her mother worried about, however. 

As soon as she woke up, she opened the curtains located in her room, inviting the bright and beautiful sunlight arriving from daybreak. Getting ready for school and leaving her home, the first idea she had on her mind was possibly visiting the many other students of her class (which was something she barely ever did) in order to recruit members for the Drama Club. And so, that’s exactly what she did.

She had to mentally admit that she felt slightly nervous, but that feeling both eventually and quickly dissipated into oblivion, for this was something she had prepared for the previous day. And on top of all of that, she was gonna be helping a new friend of hers, so why not try to help out the best she can? 

But the upcoming dilemma shocked her to the core.

It wasn’t that she was scared of her classmates. She just didn’t want them to say the same words they uttered towards her a while ago. That’s why she cut off all types of communication with them, after all. Although, she was convinced that they truly were nice people, and didn’t mean the things they said. But maybe her perception of that might change a bit.

After mumbling an inaudible “Hello,” the first thing Inaya noticed was that three of her classmates were sitting by each other’s desks and whispering to each other. Inaya wasn’t the type of person to get up in other peoples’ business, but rather unfortunately, she didn’t have to ask what they were whispering about to get the memo.

Did she just hear her own name?

As she approached closer to them, the answer to her unspoken question was answered. 

“Yeah, I’m not joking. That girl’s seriously faking that ‘lost sister’ story of hers. Pfft, I can’t believe I  _ believed  _ her back then.”

“Sheesh. The things people do for fame…”

“Wait, guys, pipe it down a little. I think that girl you're talking about is, uh, getting closer.”

Inaya could only feel betrayal as she stood before them with a blank expression.

This was a mistake.

_ What? What’s going on…? _


	22. What's Left to Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inaya and Kaitlyn come up with plans for the future.

Sitting in an empty, dimly lit bar, the mothers of Nagisa Yuuki and Inaya Faez sat beside each other with drinks in hand, bearing solemn expressions.

“It’s a shame that Valeria couldn’t visit this evening,” Mrs. Faez remarked. She looked downwards to her drink, her appetite seemingly spoiled.

Mrs. Yuuki shrugged her shoulders. “She just doesn’t like having fun, when she seems the most lively out of the three of us.”

“I understand where she’s coming from.” Mrs. Faez sat in an upright position, unable to relax in her chair. “But I still wanna talk about what we came here for. You’re worried for your own son, correct?”

“Nagisa is my daughter.”

“Your… daughter?”

“Go on.”

“...I’m not only worried for my daughter Inaya. I’m worried for all of these kids going to this school. I know most of us don’t have a choice but to enroll them there, but it’s cruel, and there’s not much we can do about it. It’s almost like we, and even the kids are being forced to--”“Everyone, coincidentally, just _has_ to enroll their children into the worst school in the area, and even the state? I find that hard to believe. I know you, and not even I had a choice, but it seems like everyone else wants their children to suffer.”

“I don’t think that’s the case. Surely not all parents would be that cruel.”

Mrs. Yuuki’s grip on the cup tightened. “There are people like that in this world. We have to deal with it.” She took a sip.

Mrs. Faez glanced at her drink. “Er, you can have the rest of mine. I think I’ve had enough.”

“You bought it for a reason.”

“I did…” She rocked her cup from side to side. “But anyway, isn’t there something we can try to do? My daughter has a huge goal of hers, and we share the same one. I’ve been trying to come in contact with her father, but that isn’t going anywhere. And I’m worried that if these rumors and all this bullying starts getting aimed towards her, she’ll lose her motivation. I don’t want that for her.”

“It’s already happened.”

“It has?”

“That’s how it is for this school. If you’re a student, you’re either popular, ignored, or bullied among everyone else. That’s what Anzu told me.”

“Who’s Anzu?”

“My daughter Nagisa is friends with Anzu’s son, Rentaro, although he keeps calling himself ‘Lisa.’ It’s even starting to get on my nerves. And it’s the same situation with my daughter. I can’t believe how much the media has influenced these kids. It’s insane.”

“What do you mean?”

Mrs. Yuuki applied pressure to her forehead, leaning forward in her seat out of frustration. “Imagine having your child try to change who they are. I sure can. You’re lucky to have a daughter who isn’t trying to change their name or anything like that. And my own child, Nagisa… I can’t even get into their own head, when that’s what I used to be good at when she was younger. What am I supposed to do? Just accept this? First, she’s uncomfortable with being called the girl she is, and now she wants to be referred to as all sorts of other things. It isn’t right.”

“I see.” Mrs Faez’s eyes fluttered closed. “Kids around this age go through all kinds of things. But what our children want is for us to understand them. If we don’t and we get angry, they’ll lose our trust in us. We don’t want that, do we?”

“How am I supposed to accept this in the first place?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t know that much about Nagisa, but I do know that Ruby and Inaya are friends with them, so they’ll work through these things together. But in terms of the rumors and bullying,” her tone of voice dropped, “I don’t know how much those kids will last. And I’m especially worried about my daughter. So that brings us back to what we were discussing earlier.”

Mrs. Yuuki remained silent.

This served as a signal to Inaya’s mother that she could keep talking. “And speaking of lost trust, I don’t want my daughter to go through the same thing she did with her father with her friends. I know Ruby and Nagisa are amazing friends with her already, but there are tons of students attending that school. It’s huge. Inaya told me a few months ago that if she didn’t have to work at the cafe, she’d be happy to join a few school clubs, which made me happy, but at the same time, she’s also scared. I don’t know how that’s going right now, but I hope she’ll be able to find some more ways to have fun. Ever since her sister left the house, all she’s been focused on is finding her again and making the cafe she works at successful. She’s barely been able to have fun at all. It hurts to look at.”

“...I get it,” Mrs. Yuuki finally spoke up. “I know this is going to sound rude, but can we wrap this up? I just don’t like rambling on about these negative things.” _Those kinds of people are better off not speaking at all,_ she couldn’t say.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Yeah, we should probably go. We’ve already been here for a while.”

“Next time, we’re inviting Valeria again, and she _will_ come. And on that day, we’ll finally have a full-on party.”

Mrs. Faez truly didn’t want to engage in such activities, but if it meant that at the end of the night, they’d be able to express their worries and do something about their children’s current situations, she was up for it. “That sounds good to me. Thanks for the chat.”

“Mhm.” Mrs. Yuuki bore a fake smile and nodded her head. “It was nice.” It was tribular to differentiate her truths from her lies.

*****

After overhearing what the students located in her classroom had said, Inaya went straight to Kaitlyn the next day and stated that she couldn’t help with the club. It was too much of a risk. She wasn’t going to be selfish about it, although the main point was that she didn’t want to have more people say things behind her back. The biggest problem was that there was a high chance nobody would listen to her if she tried to recruit them to the Drama Club, therefore making her assistance worthless, and she didn’t want to waste Kaitlyn’s time. But due to that aftermath and the situation she was in, she felt obligated to expand on it with Kaitlyn. And that’s what she did.

Inaya arrived at the door of Kaitlyn’s apartment, enveloped by the darkness of the night sky. She knocked on the surface and awaited Kaitlyn’s reply.

After waiting a few seconds, Kaitlyn opened the door and subtly waved. “Hey. What’s up? Didn’t ya want nothin’ to do with me?”

“That’s not it… May I come in?”

“Yeah, you’re worthy enough,” she quipped. “Come on in.”

Kaitlyn held the door open for Inaya as she entered the room. It was beautifully decorated, perfectly matching Kaitlyn’s image, with roses sitting on top of glass tables, a clean carpet soft to the touch, and a spacious living room including a large TV.

“This is your place?” Inaya gasped with awe, “It’s amazing!”

“I know, I know.” Kaitlyn added, “Since I live alone, I thought I might as well spice up the place, so it ain’t feelin’ barren anytime soon. It took months to get this baby lookin’ good, so you better appreciate it.”

Inaya giggled. “Yeah, it looks great! I wish I could be good at decorating like you. All I’ve been able to focus on is brewing tea and cooking.”

“Well, it’s never too late to start. Unless you’re a granny.”

“You’re funny,” she lightly chuckled. “But, uh… I came here because I wanted to ask you something. Is that okay?”

“Alrighty. I’m all ears.”

The two girls sat on the sofa located in the living room, Kaitlyn grasping onto a cup of water.

Inaya began with a sincere expression, “I… I’m still sorry I wasn’t able to help you with the club yesterday.”

“It’s fine, you already explained why you don’t wanna do it.”

“Are you still upset at me?”

Kaitlyn owlishly blinked. “Uh, no? You can’t help the whole rumor situation. I totally get it. I know I’m just an observer, so I’ve only seen it happen to other people, but I remember that Hyun used to tell me a bunch of things about that crap. I can’t sympathize with ya, but I know where you’re comin’ from.”

“Yeah… Now a bunch of people believe that my story is fake. I definitely know that it isn’t, but…!”

“Yup. It’s not like you can change their minds just like that.”

“Exactly… That’s why I’m scared. I don’t wanna be bullied, and I don’t wanna go through terrible things. I’ll keep on working at the cafe, but I just don’t wanna be brought down by all of this. I won’t let it bring me down, but it’s hard.”

“So, what can I do for ya?”

“Huh?” She inaudibly mumbled, “I don’t know…”

“This stuff kinda pisses me off, y’know? Now, I’m not the type to hold grudges. That’s how Hyun used to be. But even the people in my Drama Club are gettin’ affected by this crap. Isn’t that ridiculous? And I’m the only one who ain’t goin’ through anything bad because I’m perfect!”

“So, you wanna help them, especially because you’re the only one who isn’t going through it? You don’t think it’s fair?”

Kaitlyn nervously stammered out, “U-Uh, kinda. I’m not that big of a softie.” She continued with vigor, “But like I said, all of this is, like, super stupid, and since you’re one of the only people who’s actually worthy of helpin’ me like this, _I_ wanna help _you._ So, what can I do? Just give the word.”

“I’m actually not that sure. Normally I’d automatically know what to do, but… I really appreciate your offer. Maybe if you asked Ruby or Nagisa, they’d be able to give you something to do, I’m sure of it!”

“Ugh,” she groaned, “You just don’t know what to say or do ‘cuz all you wanna focus on is that cafe of yours. I don’t have a huge problem with it, but you gotta learn how to multitask. Otherwise, not only will you not be able to be as cool as me, but you won’t have any fun anytime soon, especially with all of this rumor shit. Heck, you even said that you’d be willing to join a bunch of clubs without that job. So what gives?”

“Uhm…”

“Whatever. I don’t really mind what you end up doin’. Let’s just focus on this rumor crap and get everything over with. But then, after that, you’re gonna join the Drama Club and reach your goals and stuff, alright?”

Inaya smiled and nodded. “Okay. Thanks, Kaitlyn!”

“Quit bein’ such a stranger.”

“Oh, sorry! What do you want me to call you? Do you already have a nickname?”

“M-Mhm.” Kaitlyn hesitantly nodded and hid her face away. “It’s uh… Kaitie. Just call me that or whatever.”

“That’s a cute nickname. I’ll call you Kaitie, then! So… thanks for understanding, Kaitie.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She muttered, “Man, it’d be nice if y’all could shower me in praise like that more often.”

Inaya cocked her head. “Hm?”

“Oh, that’s what I said to those idiots not too long ago in the Drama Club. And some other clubs. And some other kids.”

“But why?”

“Because they—“ Kaitlyn interrupted herself and refused to darken the mood. She rephrased, “Pfft, because they just don’t get it. Here I am, a super hot girl who happens to be good at dancing, and all they’re doin’ is ignoring me. I tried disciplining the kids in my club last year, but that’s why some of ‘em left. They just can’t handle being stars, so that’s why I gotta make myself one. On my own.”

“I don’t think you should try to control them, but…” Inaya wrapped her fingers around Kaitlyn’s. “If you wanna become a star, I know you can do it. That’s not something I’ll ever be able to do, but I think you’re _made_ for it! I mean, you seem really confident already. You just have to keep it up.”

Flustered from the sudden contact, Kaitlyn jumped and immediately moved her hands away from Inaya’s. “Mhm, yeah. Uhhh, thanks.”

“I’m glad we were able to become friends. You were a bit scary at first, but you’re actually super nice. You kinda remind me of Ruby in a way.”

“Well, it’s true that I’m a rare find!”

“I hope I can find more people like you, Ruby, and Nagisa. I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately, and I’m getting better at talking to other people and becoming friends with them. ...At least, I think I am.”

“Good for you, cailín. So, what are you gonna do once you get home?”

“Think of ideas on how to improve the café.”

“Ugh, of course. But dude, whatever happened to that ‘stopping these rumors’ thing?”

“Oh. I forgot.”

“You’re hopeless, y’know?”

“I’m sorry! I just have a lot on my mind, and… it’s a bit overwhelming.”

“I’m the definition of overwhelmin’’. If you really feel that way, why not leave?”

“Wait, but I don’t wanna leave, kinda…”

Kaitlyn was surprised by her comment. “Wait, for real? Miss hot stuff wants to stay here?”

“I mean, sure. You must be pretty lonely a lot when you’re living by yourself, so… I wanna keep you company for a little while. My mom’s out somewhere, anyway.” 

“...Hm.” Kaitlyn took her final sip of the water and stared out the window. “If that’s the case, then maybe I can ask ya somethin’ too.”

“Go ahead.”

“So, uh, have you heard anythin’ about that club Hyun’s in? Uh, the Anime Club or somethin’?”

“I actually haven’t heard much about it at all. I don’t really focus on what other people talk about during class. Do you know anything about it?”

“Uh, no, that’s why I asked you. Hyun-a said she’d visit the Drama Club every now and then, which she has _sometimes_ , but I’m wonderin’ if she’s ever gonna come back to my club anytime soon. Pfft, but maybe she doesn’t care about it anymore. Now she’s stuck with these lil kids I think.”

“Are you worried about her?”

Kaitlyn coughed. “What? No. Why would I ever be worried about her?” She crossed her arms. “Besides, she’s always so nitpicky and serious. And whenever she jokes around, she’s makin’ fun of me.”

“Oh…”

“...She isn’t really like that anymore. She’s actually a bit different. But that still doesn’t mean I’m suddenly all worried about her or anythin’. Besides, I have more important stuff to do, like eradicatin’ these stupid rumors and leading the Drama Club. Ain’t that cool already?”

“You seem really talented; taking care of so many things at once, while being a good dancer.”

“It takes alotta skill, and most of the time, you gotta be born with it!”

“Born with it, huh?” Inaya looked up to the ceiling. “Well, I guess I was born to get my sister back…”

“Huh?”

Her hands flew straight to her mouth. “Wait, I didn’t mean to say that…!”

“Alright, it’s story time. C’mon cailín, what’s your story? You mentioned that people are saying it’s fake, so lemme be the judge of that.”

“Well, uh…” Inaya twindled her thumbs. “...My sister’s name is Dakia, and we grew up together, but…”

“I take it that y’all got separated?”

“Yeah.” To fully expand on her words, Inaya took a deep breath. “You’ll believe me, right?”

“Only if it’s legit.”

“Alright… My dad used to run a really successful family business, and he’d always go to Dakia for talking about those sorts of things, and prepared her for the kind of future he had. In the middle of all that, I stayed close to my mom. After a while, when the business became practically famous, my dad’s expectations rose big time, and once he and my mom got into an argument, he left the house and took Dakia with him.”

“Screw him.”

“Ahah… So that’s why I thought that if I could make a business popular, like he did with his own, he could consider me as on his level, and I could finally see Dakia again. My mom wants the same thing, ‘cuz she’s her own daughter after all, but…” she solemnly faced the floor. “She hasn’t made much progress with talking to my dad at all.”

“Wait a minute,” Kaitlyn inquired with her eyebrows raised, “So how did those kids at school find out about all of that?”

“A while ago, I used to have some friends and I talked to them every once in a while. I told them about why I was working so hard at the café, which lead to me talking about my sister. Then they just told me to give up, but I didn’t think that the rumors would surface now, at the worst time…”

“Oh, I get ya.”

“I don’t want anyone to think what I’m saying is a lie, because it’s the truth. I’d never just betray anyone like that.” Inaya then recalled the time she promised she would meet up with Ruby and Nagisa. “...But I guess I already have a few times.”

“Man, that sucks.” Kaitlyn relaxed on the sofa, stretching her feet outward. “I can’t say I’ve gone through all of that, ‘cuz I haven’t, but I’ll tell ya this: Those other kids are stupid, y’know? They always have been, and that’s how it’ll always be. But some people can still be stupid and _good_ , like you and me. You just gotta be on the lookout for those absolute idiots.”

Inaya chuckled. “I guess you’re kind of right. But how will I prove to everyone that my story isn’t a lie?”

“This is gonna sound stupid coming from me, but you gotta focus on the little things first, and cool people like me know that from birth. If ya try to _overwhelm_ yourself by talking to literally everyone in the school, you’ll just end up wastin’ your time and energy. Besides, most of those people aren’t worth talkin’ to, like, at all. Sooo… if we’re gonna take care of this crap, first, we gotta observe. Find out who started it all in the first place and get an idea of what everyone’s exact words are. Then, we can use that to our advantage and know what to say to subvert their minds.”

“That just sounds like we’re manipulating them…”

“We are, but we ain’t. It’s called ‘subversion of expectations.’ Since these rumors are already bein’ spread everywhere, the people who haven’t heard ‘em directly are still probably gonna expect one of their stupid friends to approach ‘em about it and tell ‘em. But what if we knew exactly what to say to get ‘em on our side and believe us, subverting their expectations? They’d expect to hear that your story is fake, and getting that from someone they know, it’d give ‘em extra confirmation. But without that, wouldn’t they remain unsure?”

“...I get it. I get it!”

“Mhm. So, you on board?”

“Yeah, of course I am! Thank you so much, Kaitie!”

“You sure get excited and yell a lot.”

“Sorry. But, yeah, let’s do our best! I won’t be able to help for that long in the evening, since I have to work at the café, but I’ll still try to help as much as I can.”

“Sounds good to me. God, I’m glad you’re not being all shy anymore.”

“Ahah…”  
  
Inaya assumed that with Kaitlyn, her newfound friend's assistance, she'd eventually and finally be enabled to take a breather while reaching towards her biggest goal, making her one and only dream come true. Although she didn't understand her that much, at least she could feel the kindness within her that she felt from Ruby and Nagisa. Perhaps they could all meet up together as best friends and spend time together often.  
  
Yeah, that would be nice.  
  
Beams of moonlight entered the multitude of windows, almost devouring the darkness of the night. And as thoughts abundant with positivism rummaged throughout Inaya's mind, a young girl shyly stood in a dark, empty corner of the girls' bathroom, located in the high school area of the school's premises.  
  
Dennis walked inside the area with his arms behind his back, seemingly in a relaxed state, contradicting his thoughts. "Hey," he began, "I didn't think you'd still be here. It's getting pretty late, y'know!"  
  
He received no response. If anyone else were there, they'd think he was speaking to nobody and call him crazy.  
  
Despite the lack of any kind of response, he added, "You're probably gonna be picked up super late today, then. That's fine, 'cuz that's how it is for me, too. But since nobody's here, I thought you'd be in the library or something. Why're you over here?"  
  
No response.  
  
"Oh, probably because this is where we usually meet up, right? I forgot for a second, whoops." He let out a brief sigh. "But for real, it's been a couple of months since I've been here. I know you already said you didn't wanna make any friends, like, a million times, but trust me! It's gonna be even better this time, I swear!"  
  
No response.  
  
"Why aren't you responding, Cyclone?"  
  
At last, the young girl he had been speaking to made her appearance and lowly mumbled in reply, "Can't you call me something else...?"  
  
Dennis grinned. "Nope! I assigned you that nickname from the start, silly! There's no way I could just, like, call you by your real name. You know I'm a nickname person."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
However, his smile was short-lived. "But, anyway, you asked me to not mention what you got into with those other kids, but I couldn't really respond properly earlier. Sorry, Cyclone."  
  
"It's okay. I know you're busy with that club stuff."  
  
"And what about you? Will you be busy with 'club stuff' anytime soon? It's a bit weird, going to club activities without you, y'know!"  
  
"I told you, I can't..."  
  
"If I say stuff over and over, and in a good way, that means I know you can do it, silly. I don't just throw around random lies whenever I talk."  
  
"That's true..."  
  
He took another step closer to her and lightly chuckled. "So, the bottom line is... What are you gonna do, Alicia?"


	23. A Club to Never Forget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dennis introduces his fellow club members to a friend of his.

Back in 5th grade, Dennis had more than just one friend. Even though he knew he would be leaving Missouri soon, he wanted to make the best of his time there and make some friends. Much like Ruby, he was very social, and it wasn’t too hard for him to get along with other people (not counting the numerous kids who thought he was annoying). 

One day, classes were dismissed, and since Ruby was absent that day, he had nobody to talk to. Sure, he had so many other people he knew, but Ruby was the only person he’d be willing to hang out with after school. Out of curiosity, he entered the library and took a look around. After spending a few minutes looking throughout the bookshelves, he eventually got bored. He wasn’t much of a reader, after all. 

But before he could leave, he spotted a young girl with large, slanted amethyst eyes and chin-length hair colored with sky blue. She appeared to be sitting by herself at a table, and had a large stack of books laying next to her as she read a novel. 

As Dennis walked closer, he wondered, _She looks like a 1st grader. Why’s she reading all that? Is this a punishment or something?_

Without alerting her, he stood next to her and observed what she was reading. 

He then looked over her shoulder and whispered, “Hey.” 

“H—“ All the girl could let out was a squeak, and once she could process what was going on, she a look of fear was plastered all over her face. “A-Ah!”

“Hey girl, what’s up? You—“

“Get away from me!” She grabbed her books and began to throw them at Dennis, aiming towards his face. She kept missing her target, but continued to flail around and back away. “Don’t you dare try to hurt me! I-I’m good at throwing books! Don’t make me… hit you…” Once she ran out of books, her face went blank, and she looked down to the floor. 

“Y’know,” Dennis snickered, “You’re pretty bad at this. I can help you get better at your throwing!”

“N-No…” 

“Dude, you look like you’ve just seen a ghost. You good?”

“Uh…” The girl slowly stepped away towards the entrance. 

“What, you tryna escape? Do you think I’m trying to kill you?”

“...Maybe. There’s people like that here. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were, too. Have you ever heard of Kieron?”

“Nah, I’m not a killer.” Dennis shrugged, “But only if you want me to be one. I’m just some dude chilling here. So…” He ran up to her once again and hollered, “What were you reading?”

“Uh…”

“Hey, what’s your name? You look like a cartoon character! What’s with those legs? You’re, like, super short! Your eyelashes are crazy long! Why? C’mon, tell me!”

“N-No, back away!” She pushed Dennis away and shut her eyes out of fear. “You’re just trying to stalk me! S-Stalker! Uh, what else...? You…”

“Your comebacks kinda suck.”

“I know…”

“But, y’know, you can just go on Google and search up some roasts. That’s how I became the coolest kid around! Ask Ruby, she’ll tell ya!”

“The coolest kid around…? Are you popular?”

“Uh, you bet I am! I’m one of the most popular kids here!”

“...D-Don’t tell anyone you saw me, then. And forget you met me, please…”

“What? But why? Are you a secret agent or something?”

“No… If people find out about me, I’m gonna be destroyed out there! Everyone’s eating each other alive… You say one thing, and they haunt you with it for the rest of your life. I’m not taking that risk…”

“There’s no need to be so paranoid about it, bro. I mean, look at me! I’m totally awesome! Do I look like a mean person?”

“Yes.”

“Aww man.”

“I can’t believe you’re not worrying about this… I don’t wanna be here… My mom is just forcing me to go to this school. There’s too many people, I can’t take it…”

“Isn’t that a good thing, though? The more the merrier! It’s easy to be popular, too! All you gotta do is look hot, talk to people, and boom! Popularity!”

“It’s not that easy… Plus, I don’t wanna be popular. I hate being around tons of people. It makes me nervous…”

“Well…” Dennis grinned widely. “Maybe you can be friends with me! I’m, like, super cool, and I’m not gonna freak you out anymore! I promise!”

“You promise…?”

“Totally! So, yeah, is one person fine?”

“I-I guess…”

“The name’s Dennis! What’s yours?”

“It’s Alicia.”

“Neat-o! Sounds like Alice! Wait…” He gasped, “Woah, are you Alice from _Alice and Wonderland_? I mean, uh, you don’t have the blue dress, but you’re wearing purple! That’s close enough, right? Oh my god, do you have a pet rabbit?!”

“I’m allergic…”

“Cool! Me too! Dude, we’re bonding already! This is awesome!”

“Yeah, s-sure…”

It was an unusual meeting, since not everyone would try to become friends with someone who tried to throw books at them, but Dennis sure would. He didn’t expect Alicia to be his friend for the rest of his life or anything, but it was still nice to get to know someone else. She reminded him of his grandma in some way, and that was nice, too.

~~~~~

In the present, Dennis was hanging out in the girls’ bathroom (as per usual) with a friend of his, and that friend happened to be Alicia. It was weird, but they’d both talk to each other after school very often, and Dennis would want to spend some time with her before heading to the club, since she isn’t interested in that sort of thing. There’s just too many people.

Dennis asked, “Hey, Cyclone, don’t you have to return some books or something? You checked out, like, five of them last month.”

“Oh, I’m gonna ask if I can turn them in next week. I’m almost done with the fifth one,” Alicia replied.

“Well, what’s it about?” Dennis snickered, “Something dirty, I bet.”

“What makes you think that?”

“Don’t you know that middle school and hormones is a bad mix?”

“Well, uh… yeah, I can’t deny that. So...” Alicia paused, “How’s your club going?”

Dennis’ eyes widened. “That’s something I never thought I’d hear you ask. Are you possessed?!”

“No, I just wanna know…”

“Well, it’s pretty awesome! I get to bother Min-Jun and the others as much as I want! It doesn't seem like it sometimes, but I think Min wants to be my husband. When that time comes, I'll buy a doughnut to serve as the ring. Neat idea, right?"

“You’re funny,” Alicia chuckled. “Being in that club sounds like a lot of fun. You’re lucky…”

“Lucky? Me? How?”

“It’s easy for you to make friends, and you don’t have to worry about anyone coming after you to kill you.”

“I guess I’m just a likable person! But hey, so are you. I bet if you actually came up to someone for once, they’d wanna hang out with you!”

“Thanks, but I don’t know… It’s not like I know anyone here. You’re the only person.”

“Have you asked your mom for help, or anything? Just get her to come up to some random kids, and force ‘em to become your friend! Problem solved!”

“...That’s a bad idea. My mum can be pretty extreme…”

“How? It can’t be that bad!”

“Well, she’s scared a few kids before… and she’s made them cry. A lot. And in general, she’s just really overprotective, so I don’t think she’d let me… y’know…”

“What kind of old hag doesn’t let their kid have friends? I’m gonna sue her!”

“No, that’s not it… She just really doesn’t want me hanging around the wrong people, and that’s basically more than ninety percent of the kids in this school. She’s been really wary of that since I was a little girl... I can’t even download any apps that have to do with social interaction unless she tests it herself.”

“Dang, that sounds like torture! How can you survive that?!”

“Well, it’s been like that my entire life, so I’m used to it. It’s not like I’m complaining or anything, either… I don’t wanna be attacked, y’know.”

“Oh, c’mon, you’re not gonna get attacked. I mean, sure, there’s some kids who’d wanna do that to random people, but still! There’s no way somebody could lay their hands on a cute girl! Luckily for me, I, uh… I look like a girl. I get that a lot, so maybe I’m fine…?” 

“I don’t think it has to do with that… They just wanna take out their anger on random kids. _And rip their clothes off._ That’s why a lot of fights break out. There’s been less than usual, but still…”

“Less? How come?”

“I don’t know how, and it should be impossible, but… there haven’t been too many fights lately, so that’s good. I’m still on edge, though… Not everything can change like that so quickly…”

“I get where you’re coming from, but you need to quit being such a scaredy-cat! Not everyone is as cool as I am, y’know. I’m probably the only person you’ll meet who’d appreciate books getting thrown at me.”

“Sorry…”

“I’m just kidding. But seriously, you gotta get to know Ruby! She’s, like, mentally unstable, but she’s a really cool person!”

“I know… You keep saying that, but… don’t you know what the color red means?”

“Huh?”

“The eyes are the window to the soul. Red means anger and, uh, fury! A lot of bad things! Maybe she’ll lash out at me when we start to become friends! What if she ends up backstabbing me, literally?! My body is too fragile! I can’t take things like that! When I cut my finger with a kitchen knife the other day, I was close to bleeding to death! Do you want me to relive that?”

“Chill out, Cyclone. Believe me, Ruby isn’t like that. If she were, I’d totally be dead by now!”

“That’s not very reassuring…!”

“The point is, smooching these toilet seats ain’t gonna do us any good. It’s getting old, man.”

“Wait, what’s the matter?”

Dennis sighed, “If I don’t get outta here soon, I won’t be allowed to visit the bathrooms here ever again. I’m probably gonna be suspended too, I dunno.”

“T-That’s really bad! We shouldn’t even be meeting up here, then!”

“Yeah, well, I should’ve known that staying in the girls’ bathroom would be a bad idea. I normally wouldn’t care about this stuff, but if I get suspended, my grades are gonna go down like crazy! I can’t be failing math anymore! Not again!”

“That sounds tough…”

“Yup. Alas, even cool kids like me have troubles… Good thing you’re acing math~!” 

“...I’m sorry, but we can’t get caught cheating anymore, or else we’ll both get suspended.”

“Whaaat? No fair! We’ve been fine for, like, two years! It shouldn’t be a problem!”

“If I get suspended, It’s gonna be announced in the middle of class… What if people ridicule me and follow me home? What if I get stalked after that, and they watch me change? I can’t handle that, it’s impossible!”

Dennis chuckled, “You have some serious problems.” Luckily, Alicia didn’t take this too personally.

At the start, Dennis’ jokes didn’t really sit well with Alicia. She had a hard time understanding most of what he was saying for the most part, and communicating with him overall. She wasn’t exactly the type of person to follow the latest trends. In fact, she’s way behind. Besides, this was the first friend she’s ever made in her life, so it’s not like she’d know what to say or do. 

But after a while, she got used to hanging around Dennis, and picked up some internet lingo from him as well. Her anxiety didn’t subside, but around him, it seemed to dissipate a little. Just a little. 

It wasn’t enough to join a club, participate in school activities, or even interact with anyone else. No, doing things like that would be the death of her. It’d take a miracle to find another person like Dennis. That’s why the library is her place. Barely anybody else goes there, and she feels at peace. Reading books is all she can do. It’s what her future is, and she wouldn’t w _ant to do anything else. I have to read. It’s what Mum tells me to do._

Maybe she’s overthinking this. 

“Anyway,” Dennis began, “I’ve been thinking… that maybe I can introduce you to my other bros. They’re chill, just like Ruby!”

Wait, what?

“N-No, sorry,” Alicia mumbled, “That’s too many people…”

“Don’t worry, there’s only six of ‘em! C’mon, it can’t be that bad. I know what you said earlier, but now I’m just gonna ask you a million times until you say yes!” 

“But why?!”

“Because I want to!”

“That’s not a reason!”

“Look, they’re not bad people, and they’re not gonna kill you. Trust me, I’ve known ‘em for a year! There’s some new people, but they’re really chill, I promise.”

“Uh…”

“Don’t you believe me, Cyclone?”

“Hmm… Do they have any previous criminal activity?”

“No.”

“Have they gotten into a fight before?”

“Maybe.”

“Did they get physical?”

“Nope.”

“U-Uh… Are they human?!”

“Dude, what kind of excuses are those?”

“They aren’t excuses, I’m just asking questions…”

“Yeah yeah, you’re totally coming up with excuses to escape. But you’re not getting outta this!”

“W-What if I just wanna go home…?”

“That’s not allowed!” 

“W-Wait, I—“

Dennis grabbed Alicia’s arm and dragged her out of the bathroom. “C’mon, your new destiny awaits!” 

“What’s that even supposed to mean?!” Alicia used her other hand to grab onto the doorframe, but it was no use. “Let go of me, please…” 

Dennis ran into the hallway with Alicia right behind him, eventually making his way to the front of the Anime Club’s clubroom. He stopped by the door, and finally let go of Alicia.

“You’re cruel…” she panted, “I… wanna leave…”

“Nope, not today!”

“...I thought you understood me. This is what happened with you-know-who all over again…”

Dennis couldn’t help but feel bad, but he strongly felt like this is what she needed. He was running out of patience, and he couldn’t wait for one of his friends to meet the rest of his. 

It’s all he had. 

“Listen,” he said, “I just can’t help it, okay? It’s been like this for ages, and I really want you to meet the others. Didn’t you say that it’s really your mom who doesn’t want you to do this stuff?”

“Yeah, that’s true… but what if I don’t want to, either?”

“So, you’re gonna wait for another thirteen years of your life?”

“Uh…” Alicia had to admit that he had a good point.

“I dunno man, sounds like a waste to me. Here I am, being a popular cool kid, and you’re just sitting in the library doing nothing. That’s sad.” Well, he could certainly change the mood quickly. “...Anyway, are you gonna come, or not?”

“Well…” There’s no way she could not trust her best friend. He was right in some way, and he’s helped her in more ways than one for the past couple of years. 

_It’s only gonna be for a little bit… It won’t be that bad, right?_

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Really?!” Dennis’ face lit up. “Yay! Thank you~! So…”

“W-Wait, right now?!”

“Yes, right now~! That’s what you just agreed to! So…” He burst the door open and hollered, “Everyone, I’m back—!” 

“You’re too loud,” Min-Jun complained. 

As soon as Dennis entered the room, his eyes landed on Min-Jun. He exclaimed, “‘Sup, Grumpy Guy! ...And everyone else!”

Rudy and the other members looked towards the door and waved.

“You seem happier than usual,” Hyun-a commented. “Did something happen?”

“Heck yeah! We have a new member, y’all!”

“Huh…?” Rudy’s eyes widened. “Already?” He muttered, “Everyone else makes it look so easy…”

“Well, good for us,” said Colston. “Who is it? Some kid from another dimension?” 

“Nope! It’s Cyclo—“ Dennis stammered, “I-I mean, Alicia!”

“Cool. Where is she?”

“What do you mean? She’s right… huh?” Dennis looked to his side to find out nobody was there. He then turned around, only to face Alicia heading back to the bathroom. “...Cyclone?”

“Bye,” she mumbled, “I’m gonna go.”

Luckily, she wasn’t too far, so Dennis rushed to grab her arm once again, and dragged her into the clubroom. “You’re not getting away again, c’mere!” 

“N-No…”

“Oh my god, she’s so cute!” Ruby got up from her seat and rapidly shook Alicia’s hand. “Hi, I’m Ruby! What’s your name?”

“U-Uh, Alicia…” Her voice began to fade in the middle of her sentence.

“Huh? What did you say?”

“It’s Alicia…”

“Cute name! Nice to meet you!” Ruby smiled widely and let go of her hand. “So, you’re Dennis’ friend, right?”

“Yeah, I am… I guess…”

“Oh, sorry, I’m probably scaring you, haha.” She backed away to give Alicia some personal space. 

“It’s fine…”

“This is my best, best buddy ever!” Dennis added, “Ever since I came back, we’ve been chilling in the girls’ bathroom for, like, ages! Isn’t that cool?”

Rudy mumbled, “There’s a boy in the girls’ bathroom, and she’s not upset with that?”

“Nevermind that,” Lisa groaned, “I already can’t stand this girl.”

“Why?”

“She’s cuter than me, and that’s not supposed to be possible! I can’t accept this!”

“There’s no need to complain.”

“Anyway,” Dennis beamed, “Y’all are gonna have to prove you’re not murderers, ‘cuz Cyclone here is scared of literally everything!”

Min-Jun squinted his eyes and looked towards Alicia. “Cyclone…? What kind of nickname is that? You’re seriously gonna let him call you that?”

Alicia stammered, “U-Uh, It’s been like that for years, so… uh... I don’t know…”

“Hey, wanna sit down?” Hyun-a offered, “You can take any chair you want.”

“Oh, thanks…” Alicia sat down in the seat next to Ruby’s, and Dennis followed suit, sitting at his usual spot.

Ruby thought, _She’s sitting in Nagisa’s chair…_

Lately, all she’s been thinking about is Nagisa, and Nagisa only. She tried to forget about what Rudy had said to her before, because the last thing she needed was more things on her mind. 

Alicia inquired, “So, uh, what do you guys do here…?”

“Well, we talk about random stuff. That’s about it. Have a great time,” Colston replied.

Min-Jun mumbled, “They talk about the weirdest things, I swear.”

“‘They?’” Hyun-a teased, “Are you excluding yourself~?”

“N-No, I’m not. I just meant that I don’t talk about weird stuff.”

Rudy asked, “You’re not bothered by it though, right?”

Min-Jun shrugged. “I mean, when you and Ruby do it, it’s fine. Everyone else is just weird.”

“How am I weird? I thought you liked me,” Colston said.

“You’re weird in a good way.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“Really?” Hyun-a chuckled, “I could’ve sworn I saw him flirting with a moon rock the other day.”

Dennis piped, “Ooh, spill the tea!”

“A moon rock?” Lisa groaned, “Disgusting.”

“Wow… that’s funny,” Colston sarcastically commented. “I wasn’t even flirting with it, and it’s not a moon rock. I was taking care of my pet rock.”

“You—“ Lisa contained her laughter, “Pfft—“ 

“Don’t say it.”

“You have a pet rock?!” 

Colston looked downwards. “I get lonely, okay? ...Besides, rocks can’t hurt your feelings.”

Ruby questioned, “What’s its name?” 

“Nita.”

Lisa hysterically laughed, “Pfft, don’t tell me you believe in Santa.”

“Uh, of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? He’s come by my house every Christmas.” 

A silence fell upon the clubroom. 

Who would be the first to ruin his innocence?

Only Lisa would be willing to volunteer.

“Santa isn’t re—“

“Don’t,” Rudy warned.

“...I just don’t get why he believes in—“

“No.”

Dennis hollered, “Just don’t say it, you’re gonna ruin his life!”

“That’s cruel,” said Hyun-a.

Lisa continued to giggle, “But this is Colston! He, of all people, believes in Santa! I can’t!”

“Huh…?” Colston raised his eyebrow out of confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” Ruby urged, “Don’t listen to her.” 

Min-Jun gasped. “Wait, Santa isn’t real…?”

The room went silent once again.

They just ruined two kids’ lives, and it was all thanks to Lisa.

Good for her. 

“Don’t worry, he is,” Rudy soothed, “Don’t listen to her. Santa’s real. He’s always been real.” 

Min-Jun nodded. “Okay, good. That’s what I thought…”

“Well,” Dennis exclaimed, “Tell us! What does he give you every year?”

“Not much, really. Just some candy and a new video game.”

“That’s nice!” Ruby asked, “What about you, Colston?”

“Uh, well, I get a lot of stuff, but last year, he got me a new telescope. It’s way cooler than my last one,” he replied.

Hyun-a grinned. “That’s really nice!” 

And that’s what flicked the switch.

“...I know, right? Last night, I was able to check out a few star clusters! I also saw the Eta Carinae Nebula, which is really pretty. Did you know that it’s seven-point-five light years away? Oh, I also saw the Whirlpool Galaxy, which is one of my favorites. It was the first galaxy to be classified as a spiral one, and it’s more than twenty-three million light years away! Isn’t that cool? It also has one hundred billion stars! None of its stars have been discovered yet, but one day I wanna go there and see!” 

“Woah, woah, slow down. You lost me at star clusters,” Lisa exasperated

“Oh, whoops."

“It’s fine! I think it’s cool that you know about all that stuff,” Hyun-a assured him.

“I wanna know about space as much as you do,” Rudy commented. “I mean, it’s a little scary, but it’s interesting. Kinda like the ocean.”

“I know some stuff about the ocean, but not a lot,” Ruby chimed in.

“Ooh,” Dennis questioned, “Can you tell me about all those fish that can kill you?!”

“Nope, sorry. I don’t like researching that stuff. It kinda creeps me out.”

“I really like the megamouth shark,” Min-Jun remarked.

“Eww, sharks.” Lisa muttered, “It’s not like I’m scared of ‘em or anything, they just look disgusting.”

Alicia quietly spoke, “U-Uh, I like some fish…”

“Okay, but do you eat any?”

“Uh, yeah… sometimes… I really like them with sushi.”

“Oh, really?” Rudy asked out of curiosity, “What kinds of fish?”

“Salmon and yellowtail.”

“Nice. I really like my sashimi with tuna.”

 _Y’know, Nagisa really likes sushi too,_ Ruby wondered.

“Well,” Lisa announced, “My personal favorite is, uh, shrimp!”

Min-Jun corrected, “That’s not a fish.”

“And that’s the point. I hate fish! The texture and taste is just disgusting.”

“Shrimp tastes worse in my opinion. I can only eat it if it’s deep-fried.” 

“Ew, deep-fried food.”

“What’s the problem with it?”

“It’s filled with fat. Sonic is guilty of that. I hate their corn dogs.”

“I don’t really get how you can’t like corn dogs, but okay…”

“Not everyone has your crappy taste, Min.”

“What?”

“Guys, calm down,” Hyun-a urged. “I don’t wanna witness two people fighting over food.”

Nobody really understood why Lisa and Min-Jun didn’t like each other too much. It’s just been like that ever since the club was formed. But why? 

And why was Lisa acting more different than usual?

“Since we’re talking about food,” Dennis began, “When are we gonna have those croquette thingies again, anyway?”

“Oh yeah! We had those at the sleepover,” Ruby recalled. “Maybe we should have another one.”

Min-Jun asked, “But where?”

“Hmm… My house again?”

“I mean, your house is perfect for sleepovers, so I guess.”

“I’m gonna ask my mom when I get home, then,” said Rudy.

“Yay!” Dennis exclaimed, “Y’all are gonna love this, I swear. Rudy’s house is, like, really cool!” 

“I hope my uncle says yes,” Hyun-a stated. “I haven’t been to a sleepover in ages.”

“Wait,” Colston questioned, “I can come, too?”

“Of course,” Rudy replied. “Unless, you don’t want to.”

“No, I really wanna go. I just didn’t think you’d…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing, nevermind.”

Alicia wondered, _This isn’t so bad. I mean, the pink-haired girl seems a little scary, but… they don’t seem like bad people at all._

She inquired, “Hey, uh… can I come, too?”

“Of course!” Dennis beamed, “Man, this is gonna be awesome! We’re gonna have, like, nine people!”

“Nine…?” Alicia looked around the room. “There’s only eight people here, including me…”

“Oh, I forgot, Nagisa isn’t here.”

“N-Nagisa?!”

_W-Wait, I recognize that name. Nagisa’s that one scary kid. Why are they in this club? I didn’t think that they’d be here… nevermind…_

“U-Uh,” she spoke aloud, “I’m sorry guys, but I don’t think I wanna join…”

Dennis dramatically gasped, “What?! But why?”

“Well… I dunno. Maybe I can just try it out for a little while, but—“

“Really? You’re joining?! Hallelujah!”

“Dennis, that’s not what she meant,” Min-Jun sighed.

“Huh?”

“She said she’s gonna try it out,” Rudy explained. “If she doesn’t like it, then she’s gonna leave. Right?”

“Yeah,” Alicia nodded. “That’s what I meant…”

“Alright!” Dennis piped, “We just gotta make sure you have the time of your life, then!” 

“I guess.”

She was still unsure about this. And to worsen her situation, she had found out that Nagisa is in the club, of all people. It just had to be Nagisa; the scariest person in the school. Surely if they showed up the next day, she’d be beaten to death, right? 

Nagisa would definitely do that, right?

Would they?

*****

Alicia returned to the library, and after spending an hour there, she packed up her books and put them inside her backpack. She then got up from the table, and left the library. 

_I just wanna read… I can’t do all of this. It really is impossible. I barely said anything the entire time, and it was almost like I wasn’t even there…_

As she walked throughout the hallway, she suddenly heard the sound of footsteps gradually growing louder. She stopped in her tracks to observe her surroundings.

_Huh? Who’s that? There’s nobody here at this time…_

She took off her backpack and held it in her hands out of preparation. To her, it was a good self-defensive mechanism, for the numerous books in her backpack made it nice and heavy. She was strong enough to hold it, so throwing it at someone would be easy.

_Where are these footsteps coming from?_

Once she heard them stop, she slowly turned to her left. She then saw a tall figure with the appearance of a… boy?

“Hi,” they spoke.

“G-GAH!” Alicia shrieked and swung her backpack around to gain her momentum, and threw it at her target. 

She actually hit it.

“G-Get away from me! Who are you?! What… huh?”

She stopped to observe the person she had hit, and it was none other than Nagisa Yuuki. 

Nagisa? Why?

Of all people?

“P-Please,” Alicia begged, “Don’t hurt me!” She covered her face out of fear, and backed away slowly, closing her eyes shut.

“Hi,” Nagisa repeated. They held out their hand for Alicia to shake it. “This is a greeting.”

“W-What…?” Alicia finally opened her eyes and let her guard down for a brief second.

“I’m greeting you. This is a greeting.”

“Uh… but why?”

“This is a greeting.”

“You just said that… W-Wait! You’re saying all this stuff so you can confuse me, right? You’re probably gonna attack any minute now!”

“Anyway, I like your eyes. They’re purple.”

“Uh… thank you…?”

_He’s actually not much of a threat. Wait a minute… How did he survive the impact from my backpack? Is he invincible?!_

“L-Listen,” Alicia proclaimed, “I don’t know who you are… W-Why did you come up to me like that?”

“Hmm. Escape.” 

“Huh?”

“You seem nice. But you’re by yourself.”

“O-Oh, well, that’s because nobody’s really here at this time…”

“Do you try to escape?”

“Escape what…?”

“The people. Do you try to escape them?”

“Well, yeah…” Alicia nodded.

“Neat. I like you.” Nagisa walked away and waved. “Bye-bye.” 

“H-Huh? Oh, bye…” Alicia hesitantly waved back, and let out a sigh.

_What was that all about? That was scary… I’m not coming here ever again._

Nagisa saw someone like them today, and they were more than happy. They just couldn’t express it. That was impossible. 

Being with someone other than a certain girl who was their 'first?' All they felt was…

Nothing.

They didn’t even care too much about the rumors anymore. It didn’t seem like a problem. Nothing was a problem. It wasn’t any of their business, anyway. But surely, if they showed up the next day to the public, people would wonder if they would be beaten to death, right? 

There’s no way Nagisa could do that, right?

Would they?

 _Wouldn’t_ they?


	24. A Test of Courage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dennis, Rudy, and Alicia explore the school during a Halloween.

And so, Alicia decided to try out the Anime Club every other day to see if she would enjoy it, and a week later, she’s still followed through with her statement. Luckily, she got a little closer to the club’s members; all but Lisa and Nagisa. Lisa was self-explanatory, but ever since Nagisa gave her a freak-out the previous week, Alicia felt off about hanging around them and preferred to stay away for the time being. And to even take it to the extreme, when around Nagisa, she’s fully ready to defend herself. She might not have any weapons to fight with, but she’s strong. Maybe a little too strong for her own good, if that makes sense.

Usually, she would both swiftly and quietly open up her locker and grab her stuff without anyone noticing in between periods and dismissal, but lately, she’s been growing accustomed to talking to Rudy before meeting up with Dennis. She figured that it’d be a good idea, since he was the leader, and he didn’t seem to be much of the extreme type, which was perfect. Naturally, you’d think that a leader is very logical and responsible, after all. 

Alicia quietly greeted, “Hey, Rudy.”

“Huh?” Rudy turned around. “Oh, hey! What’s up?”

“I, uh, came to return your notebook… Thanks for letting me use it.” Alicia handed the notebook to Rudy and smiled.

“No problem.” He placed it inside his backpack and closed his locker. “So, are you coming by the club today?”

“Uh… maybe, I don’t know. Today is Halloween, so I’m probably gonna do something with my sister after school.”

“Oh, you have a sister? What’s her name?” 

“It’s Linda. She’s my big sis. She works at a flower shop with a friend. I think her name is Mitane… does she go to this school?”

“Hmm.” Rudy scratched his head. “I haven’t heard either of those names before. But your sister goes here, right?”

“Uh… yeah, she’s in 12th grade. I really look up to her a lot…”

“That’s nice. Y’know, I really look up to Ruby. She’s my younger sister.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t think that…”

“Yup. She’s really kind and strong, and she has more courage than I do. I, uh, hate trick or treating, because… well, the costumes in our neighborhood freak me out.”

“W-Wait, so I’m not the only one?!”

“Wait, I’m not the only one, either?”

“I hate Halloween! It freaks me out, and kids keep playing pranks at our house every year. I almost got a heart attack…”

“Same here. It’s terrible.” Rudy muttered, “But of course, no matter how many times I explain that to Lisa, she forces me to go with her anyway…”

“What?”

He sighed, “Nothing. Everyday stuff.”

“Oh, okay…” Alicia continued, “Anyway, I—“

“What’s up, party people?!” Dennis sprinted towards the duo, bumping into many other students along the way. He hollered, “Embrace your in—“

“Quiet…” Rudy shushed, letting out a sigh.

“Oh, sorry.  _ Embrace your inner Spaniel. _ ”

“Thanks.”

“I-I didn’t think you’d be here, Dennis,” Alicia stammered. “Uh, what is it…?”

“What do you mean, ‘what is it?’” Dennis scoffed, “You don’t know?” He snickered, “Haven’t you heard about The Ghost?” 

“T-The Ghost?”

“Yup, that’s his name! I heard from a girl that heard from another girl that heard from a boy that heard from a teacher that heard from a boy that heard from some weird girl that—“

“Please get to the point,” Rudy urged.

“Okay, okay. Anyway, someone told me that there’s a, like, super evil spirit haunting this place. And, like, it’s supposed to be real scary. Ooh~!”

Alicia whimpered, “An evil spirit?! I-Is it gonna try to kill me?!” 

“Don’t worry,” Rudy comforted, “It’s probably fake. And if it’s real, I’ll do my best to protect everyone.”

“Even me…?”

“Of course.”

“Funny you should say that,” Dennis teased, “‘Cuz you look scared to death, dude. Don’t piss your pants.”

“U-Uh, I’ll admit that I’m a little scared, but I’m still gonna try to fight off the spirit… or something.”

“Heh, with that?”

“Uh, sheer will and determination! I can do it… as long as nobody’s looking!”

“Well, if you really wanna do that, then you should try investigating the school tonight! There’s gonna be some sorta Halloween party, so that way, you guys can get in without getting in trouble. Doesn’t that sound epic?” 

Rudy raised his eyebrow. “‘We?’ What about you?”

“Nah, I’ll pass! Besides, I’m gonna be too busy chilling with my… g-grandma! Yeah! We’re gonna be eating candy ‘till we drop dead, so, sorry~!”

“Dennis… After you started talking to me about  _ hormones _ , you said that I should handle things a bit differently,” said Rudy, as his voice dropped to a lower register.

“Uh, ahah, that’s right! This is the part where you say, ‘I’m gonna drop out and let Dennis do his thing,’ right~? Right…?”

“No. I’ve decided that you’re coming with us.” 

“Oh okay—Wait, what?!”

“Don’t you want something fun?”

“O-Obviously, but hunting down a non-existent ghost isn’t fun!”

“You just told us to investigate a minute ago. Why would you want us to investigate something that isn’t real?”

“Uh…” He ran out of excuses. Time to surrender.

“Dennis?”

“Okay, okay, fine! I’ll go with y’all~! You guys are gonna need the coolest kid in school to help, after all!” 

Rudy softly smiled. “Thanks.”

“So, uh…” Alicia spoke, “How are we gonna do this…?”

Dennis exclaimed, “Easy! We just need a ghost-detector and a vacuum! The Ghost can’t touch this!”

“We don’t have anything like that,” Rudy stated. “Hmm… We’re gonna have to bring a flashlight instead. It’s the only realistic option.”

“Man, you’re right!” Dennis put his hands on his hips. “Okay, so the party starts at eight. Y’all promise that you’re gonna be here on time? I can’t be waiting for ages, y’know!”

“Of course.” Rudy turned to face Alicia. “Will you be able to come?”

“Um…” This school was already scary enough, so topping it off with ghosts made it even worse. However, Alicia was gonna be with people she trusted, so maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. “Okay, I’ll go, I guess… Do we have to dress up?”

“Yup! And I already got an idea!” Dennis piped, “We should be those three chipmunk guys!” 

Rudy protested, “No way, that’d be too embarrassing and weird!”

“Then, what about those three ducks?”

“Please no.”

*****

“‘Sup, guys!” Dennis hopped out of his car and sprinted towards Rudy and Alicia in the parking lot. “Take a look at this! Did you—“

“Oh, hey.” Rudy waved to him and smiled. 

“You…” Dennis scanned Rudy’s costume and huffed. “You don’t even have a costume!” He turned to Alicia, “At least you are, but what even is that?”

“U-Uh,” Alicia explained, “I’m supposed to be a character from a book, but my mum didn’t know what they looked like, so… we kinda used our imagination.”

“So, you’re half-cat?”

“I’m supposed to be, yeah…”

“That’s gonna make you more vulnerable to the ghost, y’know~!”

“W-What?!”

“He’s just joking around.” Rudy patted Alicia’s back. “You guys wanna go inside now?” 

“Yeah, yeah! Let’s go!” Dennis ran to the school building, and Rudy and Alicia hesitantly followed behind him. 

“Careful of the cars,” Rudy warned. “W-Wait, there’s—“

“Huh?” Dennis tripped over a rock and fell to the ground face-first.

Well, at least it was grass.

Rudy facepalmed and let out a sigh. “We’re not gonna survive this…”

Alicia stuttered, “E-Eh, I sure hope we do…” 

Rudy helped Dennis get up, and made sure that he was okay. Afterwards, the trio continued to make their way to the school building. 

Once they finally arrived, they were greeted by a multitude of students (some with their parents) and a rather uplifting atmosphere. The building was lit with lights, and a few of the students were in their respective classrooms having a party being led by a staff member. 

On the other hand, there were a ton of students messing around like a bunch of drunken teenagers in the hallway. Candy was being thrown all over the place, and it was easy to get lost. Those are the consequences of enrolling in a large school. No, a school with problems larger than life. 

Dennis exclaimed, “We gotta go to an empty hallway!” 

“What?” Rudy shouted.

“I said…” Dennis elevated his voice, “If we’re gonna see The Ghost, we’re gonna have to go to an empty hallway! It’s too loud here!”

“Ohh! You’re right, there’s too many people! And—“ Rudy rapidly looked around his surroundings out of panic. “Wait, where’s Alicia?”

“What?!”

“I said, where’s—“

“Rudy!” A girl hollered from the crowd, desperate to get Rudy’s attention. She continued to run over to him and wave her hands until she reached him. “Rudy! It’s me! Hope! Hi!” 

“Oh, hi!” Rudy mumbled, “Oh no.”

As soon as she spoke, multiple girls turned their heads and began to holler.

“Wait, Rudy’s here?!”

“Where is he?”

“I gotta talk to him!”

“Ah, Rudy! Move out of the way, y’all!”

“Heehee,” Dennis snickered, “I envy you.”

“But I thought you were popular—“ Rudy insisted, “Wait, let’s get outta here! And we gotta find Alicia!”

“What?!”

“You heard me!” 

Rudy, along with Dennis, attempted to make their way through the crowd without causing any commotion. Swiftly avoiding the fangirls, Rudy let out a sigh of relief, and they both made it into an empty classroom located in the Elementary area. 

“Finally, some peace and quiet… Hmm,” Rudy wondered, “Is this the 2nd grade class?”

“Pretty sure, yeah,” said Dennis. “Makes sense why nobody’s here. All the 2nd graders are probably hanging out with their mommies in the playground.”

“You’re right. But do you think Alicia would be here?”

“Why ask me~?”

“You’ve known her longer than I have.”

“Ohh, you’re right! Okay, so, like, we lost her in there, no biggie. She’s probably just chilling in the bathroom upstairs! Maybe she had to pee or something!”

“...Are you even taking this seriously?”

“Dude, of course I am! ‘Cuz who knows, maybe she’s hiding from The Ghost! It’s probably out to kill her!”

“Dennis…!”

“What? I’m using my imagination.”

“Okay… sorry. I’ll go wherever you wanna go. Lead the way.”

“Alrighty! Leave it to me! Hmm…” Dennis walked to the teacher’s desk and looked through the drawers.

“What are you doing…?”

“Getting supplies! You’re gonna need this kinda stuff when fighting off a ghost, aren’t you?” He grabbed a few pens and erasers. “Dang, this stuff ain’t as interesting as I thought they’d be.”

“Well, I feel like teachers would have that kind of stuff at their desks.”

“Ooh, what’s this? Are these eye drops?”

“Looks like it.”

Dennis continued to rummage through the drawers. “Hmm… ew, deodorant. You’re right, there isn’t anything interesting in here.”

“We should go before a teacher gets here.”

“Yeah, yeah, gimme a sec.” Before he closed the drawer, he noticed an item that caught his eye. “Ooh, I see pads, and… super fashionable-looking glasses!”

“That’s girls’ stuff, we shouldn’t— Wait, glasses?”

“Mhm! They look better than yours!”

“Oh…”

“I’m gonna wear ‘em!” Dennis put on the glasses and made a couple of poses. “Hey, don’t I look good? Do I pull off these glasses well?” He snickered, “Heehee, am I hot?”

“Make sure they don’t harm your vision,” Rudy cautioned. “Speaking of glasses, I gotta clean mine…” He took off his glasses. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom real quick so I can clean them.”

“Nah, you aren’t going alone! The Ghost could be ‘round there!” 

“Well, I guess you’re right… but does your vision feel any different?”

“Nope~. Why?”

“Just wondering.” 

Just before they left the classroom, the lights suddenly went out. 

“H-Huh? Who just turned off the lights?” Rudy struggled to find the light switch, and looked out the door to observe the hallway lights’ status. “It’s dark out here, too…”

“Maybe The Ghost did this! I bet it did!” Dennis exclaimed, “No time for your glasses! Let’s go find Cyclone and get rid of this thing!”

“W-What?” Wait—“ Rudy stumbled as he attempted to put his glasses back on. Before he could, Dennis grabbed his arm and dragged him out into the hallway as he watched them fall to the ground. “I can’t see…”

“Cyclone should be around here somewhere!” Dennis walked around, observing every little detail as he held onto Rudy. “Hmm, like I said earlier, she’s probably in the bathroom upstairs or something. Can’t we just go there?”

“I don’t think she’d wanna hide in a bathroom in the middle of all this…”

“But you said you’d follow me!”

Rudy let out a brief sigh. “...Okay.”

“Heh, what, are you a scaredy-cat?”

“Maybe a little, but that’s probably because we’re walking alone in a dark hallway. I can’t even see or hear anything, either.”

“We’re gonna be fine! The Ghost is probably, like, super dumb, anyway! We’ll find it in a flash!”

“I hope so.” Suddenly, Rudy had an idea. “Hey, maybe we should ask a teacher if they’ve seen her anywhere. Maybe we can—“

And then, they heard a loud noise. 

“...What was that?”

Dennis piped, “The Ghost! Heck yeah!”

They both heard the blaring and noisy sound of metal clanging against the floors. 

“Uh, did something fall…?” 

“Then why can we still hear it?” Dennis pulled on Rudy’s arm. “C’mon, c’mon, let’s investigate!”

“It’s too dangerous! And I can’t even see anything! Can I please go back to get my glasses…?”

“Nope!”

“Dennis…! Let go!”

“Hmm. Okay!” Dennis finally let go and continued to exclaim, “I’m gonna go with you!”

“Okay. But we’re gonna keep looking for Alicia after this, aren’t we?”

“Of course! Our quest to save Cyclone hasn’t ended! Together, we’ll face many hardships, conquer this utopia, fight off monsters, ride a tsunami, and finally… we’ll—“

“Watch out!” 

“Huh?”

Rudy and Dennis ducked their heads, avoiding an object that was seemingly flung towards them. 

Dennis stammered, “U-Uh, what was that, dude?”

Rudy stood in front of him and shouted, “Hey, who’s there?”

A dark silhouette appeared before them, and began to come closer. 

“...H-Hello?” Rudy was more than ready to throw a punch at this guy.

The silhouette drew closer, and finally spoke, “Wait, it’s you…?”

“Huh?” Rudy’s eyes widened. “Alicia?!”

“Speak of the devil! There she is!” Dennis ran up to her and exclaimed, “We’ve been looking for ya! Where were you? Did you come across The Ghost?”

“Uh…” Alicia quietly murmured, “No… but I was looking for you guys. I got lost in the crowd and thought you guys would be in the clubroom, so…”

“Ohh, that’s where you were! I dunno why we didn’t think of that!”

“Glad you’re okay.” Rudy sighed out of relief. 

“Rudy, what happened to your glasses?” asked Alicia. “And, uh… Dennis, what are those?”

“Oh, you like ‘em? I found these at some random teacher’s desk!” Dennis questioned, “Don’t I look hot?”

“I mean, if you wanna know what I think, then… I think Rudy looks better, even without his glasses.”

Shots were fired.

“Oh, thanks.” Rudy mumbled, “It’d be better if I could even see myself in a mirror, though.”

“What~?” Dennis whined, “You’re mean! Aren’t I better looking than Rudy? Look, I’m taller than him! I even look cute and everything! Aren’t I cuter than him? C’mon, c’mon! Tell me!”

“Uh…” Alicia suggested, “Shouldn’t we be worrying about The Ghost…?”

“Good idea,” Rudy commented. “And don’t let Dennis bother you about that stuff.”

“I’m not bothering her! She doesn’t care at all!” Dennis nodded, “Right, Cyclone?”

“I dunno… I just feel really overwhelmed. Maybe The Ghost isn’t even real, anyway… I wanna go home…”

“Oh.” Dennis relented, “Uh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I guess… let’s just get this over with.”

“If this ghost guy is real, then I’ll protect you guys myself,” Rudy declared. “You guys are already scared, and I haven’t really been doing much.”

Alicia asked, “Wait, are you sure…? Isn’t that scary?”

“I said I was going to earlier, but now I just gotta try harder. It’s my fault that I’m such a scaredy-cat.”

“Rudy…” Dennis hollered, “Okay! I’ll just let you lead the way, then! I mean, if you want to!”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. But…” Rudy cringed, “Can we really fight off a ghost with those pens you grabbed?”

“Of course! They’re, u-uh, extra spiritual! They can slice a ghost in half!”

“I hope so.”

_ I guess I really don’t have to worry,  _ Alicia wondered.  _ Rudy’s really dependable, after all. I don’t know about the others, but… yeah, maybe we can get rid of this ghost together. I hope our plan works. Wait… _

She asked, “So… is that the plan? Are we gonna stab The Ghost with a pen, or something…?”

“That’s not it,” Rudy began, “Dennis already came here with a plan. Right, Dennis?”

“U-Uh, yeah, totally! That is…” Dennis scratched his head. “Um… I didn’t forget it, I swear! I just, uh… didn’t come up with a plan.”

“...What?”

“I thought you were gonna think of something!”

“What did you do while you were at home?!”

“I was deciding what kind of costume I was gonna wear, okay?! It’s a very stressful situation! I gotta look good for my fans!” 

“I doubt these pens will even work! Agh, what are we gonna do, now? There’s no light, we’re by ourselves, there’s this stupid ghost going around, and… and…” Rudy put his hand to his forehead and took a deep breath. He went towards the wall and stood beside it. 

“Rudy,” Alicia asked, “Are you okay?” 

“No…”

“Dang it.” Dennis facepalmed. “I’m sorry dude, this is my fault. I’ll, uh, figure out something, I promise.”

“No, you don’t have to.” Rudy furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “I’ll come up with something as we go, I guess.” 

Suddenly, he heard noises coming from the ceiling and looked upwards. 

“...Or maybe we don’t need a plan  _ right now.”  _

“Huh? What do you mean?” Dennis blinked and looked upwards as well. “Ooh, that’s creepy.”

“Maybe it’s something coming from upstairs…!” Alicia pointed to the ceiling. “We’re close to the entrance, and upstairs is the high school area! Maybe we should go up there!”

“Good idea,” Rudy commented.

“But, wait,” Dennis inquired, “Like, these noises could just be from kids making out up there. Maybe it’s something else!”

“You could be right,” Rudy responded, “But we should probably still make sure. There aren’t that many kids in high school anyway, so there’d probably be less noise up there.” 

“Genius! Let’s go, then! Lead the way, Grandpa!”

“That nickname again…?”

The trio walked upstairs and began to investigate the top floor. They carefully went through the dark hallway, but…

“Oh… there’s a few people here,” Alicia remarked. “At least there aren’t too many—“ She accidentally bumped into a young girl that was around her height. “U-Uh, sorry! I didn’t see you there!”

“Huh?” Inaya quickly turned around and relented, “Oh, uh, no, I’m sorry! I should’ve moved! Wait… huh?” She looked over to Rudy and pointed towards him. “I recognize you… a-are you Rudy? And oh, you’re Dennis!”

“Heh, that’s right!” Dennis exclaimed, “Congrats! You’ve just encountered the coolest kid in school!” 

“Oh, you’re Inaya. My sister talks about you sometimes.” Rudy smiled and added, “Nice to meet you.”

“Y-You too!” Inaya wondered, “And who’s she?”

Alicia muttered, “Uh, I’m Alicia…”

“You’re all middle schoolers, right? What brings you guys here?” 

“We heard about a ghost being around here,” said Rudy. 

“Yeah!” Dennis piped, “And we’re tryna find it! We think it’s up here! So, where’s everyone else? Why’re you the only one here?”

“Oh, everyone else is in their classrooms having a party,” Inaya replied. “I’m just out here because I wanted a drink of water.”

“Interesting~”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I dunno, but maybe you’re The Ghost!”

“W-What?”

“Anyway,” Rudy continued, “Have you seen anything weird lately?”

“Well…” Inaya recalled, “The lights went out a little while ago, and I just heard some strange noises. They’re probably just coming from the classrooms, but… it sounded like metal.”

“Metal?” 

“Oh,” Dennis hollered, “That’s what we heard when Alicia was walking to us! It must be coming from somewhere around here!”

“Metal…?” Alicia questioned, “But where would that come from? And how…?”

_ There’s gotta be some way to figure this out. I just gotta think… where would the sound of metal come from? Why would it be from upstairs? I just can’t let everyone else do everything for me… Metal… Metal…  _

Alicia gasped and beamed, “Guys, I think I got it! I-I mean, there’s metal stuff in the kitchen, so maybe The Ghost was leaving a trail, and…!”

“Oh my god, you’re so right!” Dennis hugged her tightly. “See? You’re, like, super smart!”

“T-Thanks…”

Rudy theorized, “So, you mean that The Ghost went from the kitchen to here?”

Alicia nodded. “Yeah.” 

“Alright. So that means, we just gotta look for things that come from the kitchen.” He asked, “Inaya, where’d you hear this clanging come from?”

“H-Huh? Oh…” Inaya replied, “Right over there.” She pointed to the Anime Club’s clubroom. “I’m not surprised, though. I heard that room is haunted…”

“Seriously?” Rudy mumbled, “So it really was haunted this entire time…”

“Wait, it’s been haunted this entire time?!” Dennis shrieked, “Why did nobody tell me? That’s freaky, dude! I’m not going there ever again!”

“...Huh? I thought you were excited about this.”

“Nope, not anymore! I’m out! There’s no way I’m going over there!”

“W-What?” Alicia stammered, “I-I thought you liked ghosts!”

“No way! I hate them! They freak me out, man!” 

Well, this was a surprise.

“Maybe it’s because it actually might be real,” Rudy sighed. “But don’t worry, I’ll make sure that nothing happens. I think.”

Dennis whined, “Okay… I better not die from this!”

“Let’s get this over with,” Alicia suggested. “I think we can get through this…!”

“You’re right.” Rudy grinned and requested, “Dennis, may I have those pens?”

“Uh, sure!” Dennis grabbed the four pens from his pocket and handed them out to everyone.

“W-Wait, me too?!” asked Inaya.

“Yeah! You’re in on this too, aren’t ya?”

“Uh, I guess.”

The quartet walked up to the clubroom and opened the door. They walked inside and carefully observed the room, standing in place. Alicia and Inaya’s eyes darted across the room, as Rudy and Dennis tried to keep their composure.

And once again, they heard the sound of metal clanging against the floor. Then, they could’ve sworn that they both felt and saw movement in the room, and it wasn’t from them.

“Alright…” Rudy declared, “Let’s bust this thing!” 

Everyone held their stance and firmly grasped onto the pens. The sound began to get louder, and Alicia noticed movement from a shadowy figure. 

She hollered, “Back away! Get away from us! You’re not getting us today!” She threw her pen at the silhouette and missed. “Take that!” She then began to throw multiple punches, as she ran towards her target. “DIE! DIE!”

“Alicia, calm down!” Rudy ran to her, alongside the other two, and continued to hold onto their pens. He stood in front of her as she began to calm down, and hollered, “Who are you? Stay away!” 

And surely enough, from the shadows, emerged a student with a metal compartment tray on their head, along with multiple other kitchen items surrounding them, which appeared to be tied to their ankles.

“What the…?” Rudy squinted his eyes to take a closer look. “Who are you? What happened here?”

“Hmph.” The student crossed their arms and pouted. “Some stupid kid did this to me. I was trying to get these things off of me, but of course y’all had to mess me up. I hate this.”

Dennis shrieked, “Ahh, it’s The Ghost!” 

“No, it’s not!”

“Oh,” Inaya relented, “I’m sorry!”

“W-Wait, but still, who are you?!” asked Alicia.

“You haven’t even heard of me?” The student huffed, “Nevermind. Can you get this stuff off me, please?”

Rudy nodded. “Y-Yeah, sure.” 

And so, their investigation might’ve ended in disappointment, for it turns out that The Ghost wasn’t even real, but it was still fun in a way. 

Alicia got closer to not only Rudy, but Inaya as well, and figured that her time with the Anime Club might not be so bad. However, that might change very easily. 

At least The Ghost didn’t exist, so it’s not like anything fatal could happen. 

...Well, that’s what they assumed. 


	25. A Nickname's Importance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unsure of what to do, Alicia decides to spend some time with Hyun-a and Colston, in hopes of getting to know them better through their school's Movie Night event. Unfortunately, Nagisa still can't be found.

It was the Secondary division’s movie night. But Alicia hated movie night.

Why?

Once every year, both the middle and high schoolers would gather in the gym for a school event known as movie night. Alicia’s dilemma is that there were too many people. She’s been forced to go to these every year, but it’s really her own fault. She’s too scared to tell her mother about school gatherings of any sort, and Dennis really, _really_ wanted her to come along, so she has no choice but to attend. Her indecisiveness would be the death of her.

The type of movie they were going to be watching didn’t matter to her. She definitely paid attention when they were voting for a movie during class the previous week, but it wasn’t her main concern. Since she had read just about anything, she could handle any kind of movie. As long as the content wasn’t real, it’d be perfectly fine. However, the fun and magic of watching kids’ movies died out easily for her, since she could easily predict what was going to happen, plot twist or not. So that’s just another reason why she didn’t want to go. 

But she figured that it might not be so bad. She had new friends now, and it was thanks to the Anime Club, even if she didn’t always attend. 

However, early in the morning, as she sat in her mother’s car, waiting to arrive at the school, she began to wonder if the Anime Club’s members would even be there. Sure, they seemed lively, and looked like the kinds of people to go to that sort of thing, but what if they were busy? What if there was a family emergency? Would they bail _on me? Am I gonna be left alone again? Should I hide under the bleachers again?_

_Wait, no, what am I thinking…? I mean, Rudy’s actually pretty dependable, and he’s kinda like me, too… except, he’d actually wanna go to these types of things. I dunno about Dennis, though… ugh, and I don’t know that much about anyone else, either._

And then, she remembered her encounter with Nagisa.

_Hold up, what if Nagisa ends up being next to me?! I bet they’re trying to stalk me or something! Yeah, why else would they come up to me out of nowhere for no reason? They don’t even know who I am!_

She wasn’t exactly frightened per se, but there was still a lot of confusion. From what she had heard, Nagisa would only come up to people without speaking to them. She figured that it was out of intimidation, which was exactly what it was, according to the rumors. But from her experience, only a small portion of the rumors were proven wrong. Nagisa actually _did_ talk to people, but that still didn’t automatically mean that everything else wasn’t true. 

So if Nagisa were to come, then…?

_Hmm… Oh, I have an idea! We should be allowed to move our sleeping bags, right? I can just change spots! That way, I can be in the very corner, and nobody will notice me. Perfect…_

Once the school day was over, Alicia went straight upstairs towards the girls’ bathroom, and waited for Dennis to arrive. She had way too much on her mind to pay attention to her surroundings, however. Debating on whether she should tell her mom about the movie night or not was a persistent issue, and her gut was telling her not to, but she had to deal with it eventually. There’s no way she could wait another year.

_I really should’ve told her in the car this morning… what am I supposed to text her? And she might be busy anyway, so am I gonna get in trouble for calling her? What do I do…? Maybe I should ask Dennis for help…_

She spoke aloud, “Hey, Dennis? Are you—“

“Hey!” a disembodied voice exclaimed.

Horror crossed Alicia’s face as her eyebrows rose. She slowly turned her head to take a look of what was behind her, which was revealed to be Dennis. 

“Yo,” he began, “What’s up? You ca—“

“Gh--!” Alicia hit him with a swift punch and hastily backed away, her back against the wall. “Who and what are… Huh…? Dennis?!” She covered her mouth with her hands in shock. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know it was you!”

“It’s good, it’s good.” Dennis rubbed his forehead and grinned. “Dang, you’re actually pretty strong, though! Like, stronger than before!”

“Really? Well, thanks! Maybe that’s because I’ve been lifting weights a lot… Wait, this isn’t about that…”

“So, what’s up? Do you need some love advice?”

“No…”

“Aww man. Y’know, I’ve wanted someone to ask me for some advice on that for the longest time, since I actually have experience. What a shame!”

“Wait, you have experience…?” Alicia had to stop herself before this continued any further. “Hold up, before we talk about that, I need some advice for something else. Should I tell my mum about the movie night?”

“Well, I mean, you never told her the past couple of times, so why do you need to now?”

“Uh… I dunno, I just feel like it’d be the right thing to do. There’s also a lot of other stuff I haven’t told her about, so…”

“Other stuff? Like what?”

“Remember that time I gave you some of her money so you could participate in that Color Run?”

“Oh, yeah! That was around the time I came back!”

“Yeah, I still haven’t told her that I used the money for that…”

“It’s not even a huge problem, though. But y’know, if you end up telling her, and she really, really wants her money back, then I could just go to the bank and give back the three bucks you gave me! Simple!”

“I don’t know about that…”

Dennis sighed and placed his hands on his hips. “Okay, look, just gimme your phone.”

“Huh? What for?”

“Nothing~.”

“Okay…” Alicia took her phone from the pocket of her purple cardigan and handed it to Dennis.

“Thanks! What’s your password?”

“What?!”

“Nah, just kidding! I already memorized it from the last time you let me use this thing!” Dennis input the passcode, which unlocked Alicia’s phone. He went straight to messages, and wrote a wall of text under a certain contact.

“H-Hold on a minute, who are you writing to?”

“Your mom, obviously!”

“W-Wait, what?! Give it back!”

Dennis pressed on the ‘send’ button and handed the phone back to Alicia. “And… too late! Already sent!”

“I…” Before deleting the message, Alicia took the time to read what Dennis sent.

_‘wassup, mother! im totally NOT going to a super cool and awesome school event thingie, so yeah pick me up at ten, bro! if i dont respond to anything else u say, pls leave a msg and ill call u back ;) dank u voor uw begrip! tot ziens, ************!’_

“...D-Dennis!”

“What? Did I say something wrong?”

“W-Why would you call my mum that?!”

“It’s called internet lingo!” Dennis scoffed, “Relax! Your mom is so outdated, she probably won’t even know what that word means!”

Alicia let out a sigh and put her phone away. “Well, that’s that, I guess…”

“Yup! So, hey, we got three hours ‘till the movie night starts, so do you wanna chill at the club for a bit?”

“Hmm… No, not really. I don’t wanna come across Nagisa again.”

“What do you mean? You’re not gonna see ‘em there. In fact, they haven’t been to the club since September!”

“...Wait, has anyone ever seen them in class? I saw them two weeks ago!”

“Hmm, well, nobody’s in their class this year, so we haven’t been able to see ‘em. You must’ve gotten, like, super lucky!”

“Lucky? No way…” Alicia shuddered and looked towards the ground. “I’m not really scared of Nagisa… but I just wanna know why I feel so strange around them. Like, it’s hard to explain, but something about them just feels kinda off to me.”

“Like what?”

“It’s like… they’ve seen things. Lot’s of things.”

“Ooh~, that sounds creepy!”

“And maybe those things were caused by them! I don’t wanna be brought into any scandals! I don’t wanna die! It’s way too soon! I haven’t even finished reading _A la Recherche du Temps Perdu_ yet!”

“Okay dude, you seem pretty scared to me.”

“Ah, who am I kidding? I’m totally scared…”

“Welp, all you can do is conquer your fears, and face ‘em like a man! Remember when we fought off that ghost with pens last week? Wasn’t that cool? Didn’t that fill you with courage and determination?”

“It wasn’t even a ghost…”

“I know, I know, but still! C’mon, what’s scarier? Some random kid with a black hat, or a ghost that’s gonna kill ya?”

“...What if that kid in a black hat can kill?”

“That’s invalid! Beep beep!”

“Dennis…”

“Look man, it ain’t that bad. C’mon, let’s just go hang out at the club. Nagisa isn’t gonna be there.”

Alicia finally surrendered and cracked a smile. “Okay, fine. I believe you.”

“Of course you do! Aren’t I always right? Haven’t I always helped you with stuff like this?”

“Yeah, I guess so…”

Would her mother be skeptical of the text? Most likely. Would she get scolded when picked up? Most likely. Was she looking forward to this? Absolutely not. 

As she walked to the clubroom along with Dennis, she felt somewhat at peace. 

At least she could relax in the club for a little while. 

She twisted the doorknob and entered the clubroom alongside Dennis.

It was like the calm before the storm.

“¿Por qué estás tomando eso de Min-Jun? ¡Ni siquiera es tuyo!”

“I have no idea what you’re saying, but it’s annoying!”

“Guys, please calm down.”

“Give me back my cape! My Dad paid alotta money for that!”

...Or not.

Alicia asked, “W-What’s going on here…?”

“Oh,” Colston informed, “Lisa stole Yellow Guy’s cape, so now everyone’s talking in a foreign language.”

“Colston, not everyone is—“ Min-Jun interrupted himself and took a deep breath. “Look, Lisa, just give me back my cape. Please.”

“It’s not like you’re gonna die without it!” Lisa urged, “Relax! What’s the worst that can happen? I’m literally just gonna wear it for, like, the rest of the day.”

Hyun-a questioned, “You’re not gonna wear that to movie night, are you?”

“Of course I am!” Lisa piped, “And I’m gonna look awesome with this thing! All the boys’ attention will be on me!”

Rudy facepalmed and took a seat. “Esta chica…”

“Uh, Lisa,” Ruby began, “Sorry to ruin your moment, but nobody’s gonna see. Everyone’s gonna be in their sleeping bag, including you. Unless you wanna be freezing cold, you’re also gonna be wearing a blanket, probably.”

“Meh.” Lisa shrugged crossed her arms. “I’m just too cute for blankets.”

Rudy scolded, “Dios mío, Lisa, just give it back! Do the blankets even matter?”

“Everything matters! How else am I supposed to get attention?”

Ruby insisted, “...Okay Lisa, cut it out.”

Lisa averted her eyes. “Nah.”

“I’m serious.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Rudy and I are gonna yell at you in Spanish.”

Lisa’s face was then plastered with horror. “Oh, no, anything but that!” She rapidly took off the cape and threw it towards Min-Jun. “There! See? I gave it back! Everything’s good now!”

“Please don’t throw it at my face.” Min-Jun grasped his cape and put it back on.

“Well, that was entertaining,” Hyun-a commented. “Colston, got any of those popcorn bag thingies?”

“What?!” Rudy whined, “But Hyun-a, why didn’t you try to stop them?”

“You guys weren’t gonna murder each other or anything, so it’s fine. I’ll do something if Dennis robs the bank.” 

Dennis imitated a finger gun gesture towards Hyun-a and winked. “Hahah, you know it!”

“She’s basically saying that you’d probably rob a bank,” Colston remarked. “I don’t think that’s something to be proud of.” 

“Although,” Hyun-a continued, “I’m in the mood to teach Lisa a lesson.” She bluntly added, “Being hella selfish and annoying doesn’t sound that redeemable…”

Lisa bellowed, “What? Are you calling me annoying?!”

Hyun-a paused to think. “...But that can be fixed! Easy-peasy! Just… stop stealing other people’s stuff. Also, calling yourself cute is being conceited. You’re not the cutest girl in the school.”

“Oh, really? Then who _is_ the cutest girl in the school?”

“Alicia, obviously. Ruby is second place.”

“H-Huh?” Alicia finally took her seat and sat next to Rudy. “Uh, thanks…”

“Me on the rankings? No way,” Ruby joshed, “I’m not _that_ good-looking.”

“That’s not true,” Rudy assured.

“Exactly!” Dennis hollered, “Have any of y’all seen Ruby with her hair down? She looks like…! Uh, she looks like… the prettier version of an old grandma!”

Ruby chuckled and winked. “You know it!”

Min-Jun muttered, “Everyone’s turning into Dennis…” He turned to Colston and asked, “And, dude, where are you getting all this food from? You’re gonna get sick, y’know.”

“It’s called stress-eatin’,” Colston replied, “I get lonely. And food gives me energy. It’s the land of the free.”

“Yeah, free to get constipation.”

“You’re funny.”

“What do you even need energy for, anyway?”

“I need the energy to not get bored while sittin’ through one hour lectures on stuff that doesn’t have to do with space during class. I just wanna study black holes.”

“Interesting. Guess I oughtta give Lisa some of that ‘power food’ of yours. She keeps sleeping during class. Even Alicia has noticed it.” Min-Jun turned to face Alicia. “Right?”

“H-Huh?” She replied, “Oh, yeah, I see her sleeping sometimes…”

_I have the feeling that everyone is plotting against her._

“Wait, Cyclone's in your class?” asked Dennis. “But she’s a grade lower than you!”

“8th grade barely has any classes. You should know,” Min-Jun responded. “But since 7th grade is huge, some of the classes are merged with 8th grades’. So, Alicia’s in my class. Lisa too, unfortunately…”

“Ooh, neat! I wanna be in the same class she’s in, too…”

“So you can keep making her lose her sanity?”

“Yeah!”

“You…”

“Alright, alright.” Hyun-a bore a wide grin and inquired, “So, other than Lisa, is there anyone else who’s going to that movie night gig? I know I am.”

Colston raised his hand. “I’m going. I’m just in it for the sci-fi.”

“Ruby, Min and I aren’t going,” Rudy responded. “We’re gonna be hanging out at my house. We’ve been planning this for weeks.”

Ruby nodded. “Yeah, and we didn’t know that today was movie night for the school. But we’re gonna be watching our own! It’s Delgo, right?”

“Yup,” Min-Jun complained, “A.K.A. the worst movie on the planet. It’s Rudy’s fault for picking it.”

“You texted me, though,” Rudy recalled. “You told me to find the most unpopular movies out there, and I happened to choose Delgo out of process of elimination.”

“Well, uh… do you really wanna watch it or something?”

“At least the first ten minutes.”

“...Fine. Let’s try it out.”

“Sounds fun!” Dennis exclaimed, “Man, I wish I could watch low-budget movies with other people too!” 

“That’s just wishful thinkin’,” Colston commented. “So, I guess it’s just Hyun-a, Lisa, Dennis and I? Cool, cool.”

Alicia wanted to grab the chance to say something before Dennis could. “Uh… I’m going too.”

“Oh, neat-o. I guess we now have another person hopping on the bandwagon to hell with us. Fan-friggin’-tastic.”

“Does that mean you don’t want me there…?”

“Nah,” Hyun-a replied, “It’s just his way of saying ‘I appreciate you,’ and ‘thanks for saving me from this hellhole called life.’ Y’know, you two have a lot in common. You guys hate being in public a lot.”

Colston added, “Yeah, but it’s only ‘cuz I wanna stay away from stupid fights and all that. I think it’s worthless to get involved in that kinda stuff.” He added, inaudibly mumbling, “Especially if I can’t solve anythin’.”

“O-Oh, me too.” Alicia began to wonder if she might get along with everyone else after all. If she shared similar traits with them, then surely it won’t be so hard for them to become friends.

Except for Lisa and Nagisa, though. Those two were her mortal enemies. 

_...Maybe this’ll be okay, though! I mean, maybe I can hang around Colston and Hyun-a. That won’t be so bad. I’m gonna ask them._

“Uh, can I hang around you guys…?” asked Alicia.

“Huh? Oh, totally,” Colston replied. “So, I guess the four of us are gonna be ‘round the same spot, then.”

“Nah, not me!” Dennis proudly stated, “I’m gonna be around the cool kids, ‘cuz I’m just cool like that.”

“Are you guys excluding me…?” Lisa spat, “And how is it not annoying when—“

“Shush, child,” Hyun-a hushed, “Such a tone shall no longer be permitted in this household.”

“Hmph.”

“Anyway,” Hyun-a continued, “If the three of us are going to be around the same area, then we should probably go to the gym a bit earlier at the same time. There’s gonna be alotta kids.”

“You’re right. It’d be hard for us to find each other,” Colston agreed. “You followin’, Alicia?”

Alicia nodded in response. “Yeah. I just hope it doesn’t get too crowded…”

Dennis excitedly piped, “Yay, I’m so excited! I can’t wait to see everyone die in the end!”

Hyun-a cringed and stared at Dennis with a deadpan look. “...Orange Kid, did you just spoil the movie?”

“I’m kidding! Nobody dies!”

“Mhm.”

“‘Orange Kid?’ Are you kidding me?” Min-Jun got up from his seat and pointed to Dennis. “After all the weirdass names he’s called us, ‘Orange Kid’ is the best you can come up with?!”

“Hey, I actually kinda like Yellow Guy,” Rudy commented. “I think it suits you.”

“Then, what about Green Guy for you?”

“Well, it’s not as good as Yellow Guy, but it’s at least better than being called a grandpa.”

“Man, I thought you guys liked my nicknames!” Dennis whined, “They’re, like, super hard to think of, y’know. I come up with ‘em the moment I first see someone, but thinking is impossible for me. You know how dumb I am!”

“Don’t worry,” Hyun-a teased, “Min-Jun actually really likes the nicknames. He’s not used to getting that much attention.”

Min-Jun mumbled, “H-Hey, only part of that is true.”

“What do you want us to call you, Dennis?” asked Ruby.

Dennis exclaimed, “Anything!”

“Okay then,” Colston snickered, “Let’s all call him Fanta.”

“That sounds pretty good,” Ruby remarked. “I was also thinking of Joker.”

Hyun-a suggested, “Orangina?”

After giving it some thought, everyone replied in unison, “Orangina.”

“I’m gonna have to get used to calling him that now,” Alicia muttered.

“Okay, okay, but what about my nickname?” Lisa scoffed, “It’s gonna have to be super cute.” 

And everyone replied, “Staci.”

“...Words cannot describe my disappointment.”

*****

A few hours later, Alicia, Colston and Hyun-a figured that they should go to the gym area thirty minutes early, so they began to make their way there, along with sleeping bags and bottles of water in hand. But of course, Colston had to stack up on at least ten bags of SunChips. Once they finally arrived at the gym, they expected no less than fifteen students, but—

“Damn, did this place get larger, or what?” Colston let out a sigh. “This ain’t even everyone. How could a gym hold so many people?”

Before the trio’s eyes was the sight of more than a hundred students already sitting down in the gym area, waiting for the movie to start. 

“Well, at least we came here early.” Hyun-a continued to scan the area. “Looks like some people are with their parents or something.”

“Ew, adults.” Colston kneeled down to the ground and picked up a random bag of chips. “Well, at least there’s random food on the ground. Someone must’ve left these here on accident. Don’t mind if I do…”

Hyun-a mentally facepalmed. “Whenever you look on the bright side, it has to do with food on the ground. I don’t think that’s healthy.”

“I think it’s neat. Want some?”

“No thanks, I’m good. I ate food that wasn’t infested with germs an hour ago.”

“Oh, okay. Suit yourself.”

Meanwhile, Alicia was literally dying inside.

And no, that’s not a figure of speech.

She couldn’t handle being in an area with this many people. It already scared her, and memories from the previous school year came back to her. Sure, she’d be with other people now, but her anxiety failed to dissipate entirely. It was still lingering, and it was troubling her to an immense scale. 

The trio eventually found a spot to settle at, which was fortunately near the bleachers (for Alicia). Colston sat on his knees, as Hyun-a and Alicia settled into their sleeping bags. 

“So, how are you holdin’ up, Cyclone?” Colston paused, “Wait, I can call you that, right?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Alicia replied, “I’m fine, I guess. I didn’t think there’d be so many people, though…”

“Just try to wing it.” Colston grabbed his water bottle and pointed to the bags of chips. “Like, eat some of these chips with me, will ya?” 

“Uh, sure.” Alicia grabbed a bag of SunChips and opened it up. “Are these healthy, or…?”

“PFFT—“ Colston spat out some water and began to burst into laughter. “Healthy? Healthy chips? What, are you on some Keto diet?”

“Be nice,” Hyun-a joshed, “Don’t scare our special guest away.”

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Colston chuckled. “But for real, healthy chips taste like crap. I can’t believe they even exist. Who eats that stuff?”

Alicia chimed in, “I think I used to. I haven’t had any other kinds of chips before…” She stuck her hand inside the bag, grabbed a chip, and ate it. “...Well, until now. This actually tastes pretty good.”

“See? Healthy chips are trash.” Colston placed the cap on his bottle of water and sat it beside him. “What about you, Hyun-a? What’re your experiences with healthy food?”

“I dunno,” she replied, “I actually don’t eat that much. I just drink alotta tea instead.”

“What does tea even taste like?”

“It’s hard to explain, but it tastes really good. My favorite is Yuja.”

Alicia gasped, “I love Yuja Tea…!”

“Ooh, I spy a fellow tea enthusiast.” Hyun-a giggled, “C’mon girl, talk to me about tea. Now’s the time I can finally let it all loose.”

“Uh, well, I really like Kuding… and Gohyah… but Yuja is the best in my opinion.”

“I respect that you’re a fan of the bitter kinds. Same here. I really want Min to try some, but he’s still being super stubborn about it. What about you, Colston?”

“Me?” Colston shook his head, “No thanks, I’m sticking to chips and salsa.”

“And hamburgers?”

“...And hamburgers.”

“You can’t just eat that stuff all the time, y’know. I don’t want you to get sick.”

“I have a special ability that keeps me from getting sick. Plus, hamburgers are delicious. If you want me to try out tea, then gimme the sweetest kind out there.”

“Hmm… Candyleaf?”

“Perfect. I’ll search that up when I get home.”

“Candyleaf is pretty nice,” Alicia stated, “But… I don’t even know why, but I’ve always just been a fan of the bitter stuff. I just like the taste of it.”

“That’s valid.” Hyun-a sighed, “Man, now I want tea. I’m gonna be thirsty for that stuff during the entire movie.”

“At least we’re still stacked on SunChips,” said Colston. “We have, uh, seven bags left.”

“Hold up, we literally just got here! You already ate three of those things?”

“...Maybe.”

“I gotta keep an eye on you. Alicia, take five of those and hide ‘em somewhere,” Hyun-a ordered.

Alicia wondered, “What…? Why?”

“Don’t worry, you can eat ‘em all later.” 

Colston questioned, “Uh, you do realize I’ll be able to see where you hide them, right?” 

“Pretend you never saw,” Hyun-a bantered.

“You guys are really funny,” Alicia chuckled, “I hope your sense of humor rubs off on me. I’m not really the funny type…”

Colston quipped, “You sure as hell don’t want Dennis’ sense of humor, that’s for sure. From what I’ve heard, it just consists of dirty jokes and robbing the bank. Hyun-a’s a lot funnier.”

“Really? I’m flattered.” Hyun-a added, “But don’t worry Alicia, you don’t have to be the funny type.”

“I don’t…?” Alicia had to admit that it was quite refreshing to hear that. Perhaps she didn’t need to try too hard.

“Nope! Just keep being your cute self, and don’t try to take our jokes too seriously.”

“O-Oh, thanks.”

Colston sarcastically said, “Yo, Hyun-a, already flirtin’ with our special guest? That’s scandalous.”

“It’s not flirting if it’s a fact.” Hyun-a widely grinned. “Don’t you think she’s cute, too? Like, look at her eyes! They’re purple! Doesn’t everyone love purple eyes?”

“That’s the only reason why you think she’s cute…?”

Alicia stammered, “U-Uh, I don’t really think that I’m cute, but… I appreciate the compliments!” 

“You’re welcome.” Hyun-a replied, “And, Colston, it’s just one of her many charm points. That purple cardigan of hers makes her look like a main character, too.”

“Whatever you say, scientist.”

“Oh, is that my new nickname? Neat.”

Colston raised his eyebrow. “Haven’t people called you that before? You wear that same lab coat to school every single day.”

“Well, there’s a bit of a story to that. Someone actually gave it to me.”

“That’s really nice,” said Alicia. “I don’t really have a story for this cardigan. I just like wearing it because my mum said that it looks good on me.”

“She’s right! It accents your eyes,” Hyun-a complimented. “Don’t tell Lisa I said that, ‘cuz then she’s gonna wanna wear your clothes, but honestly, I think you’d still pull ‘em off better than she ever could.”

“Hahah, I dunno about that…”

“But…”

“Hm?”

“...I was gonna say that you look like a small child, but nevermind.”

“W-What? Why’s that important…?”

“Meh, ignore that.” Colston warned, “Hyun-a, don’t be creepy.”

“Don’t worry, it’s not like I’m gonna be the next Dennis or anything.” Hyun-a snickered, “But if I ever did, feel free to call me Fanta.”

“Man, I’m proud of that nickname. If I were in this club any earlier, then it’d probably become an iconic thing.”

“...It can still be an iconic thing. The time you join shouldn’t matter.”

“Uh, yeah, it does. Besides, it’s not like the others are used to me being in the club yet.”

“What are you implying?”

“I mean, I wasn’t a part of the big memories. Y’know what I mean? Like, I’m not that important in the big picture ‘cuz I joined late. I’m totally fine with that, though. At least I get to talk about space and crap.”

“Colston, I didn’t even join that early, but look at me now. I’m practically the lazy trope in this club. You’re the sarcastic funny kid.”

Colston let out a sardonic laugh. “Me? A trope? Woah, how unimaginable! I can’t believe I’m the sarcastic funny kid!” He paused, “Wait… I am?”

“Yeah, of course you are. You’re only not a part of the club if you don’t live up to your role, kid.”

“Sure…”

“U-Um…” Alicia questioned, “Let’s just say I was an actual member… what role would I have?”

“The silent but deadly shy girl who can throw punches faster than a bullet train,” Hyun-a replied.

“That sounds… extreme.”

_I don’t deserve a role like that… does she really think I’m that interesting? These two are already a lot more interesting than I am, but… I like talking to them. It isn’t that jarring or anything. I don’t even feel overwhelmed._

“Hey, guys… does that mean I’ll get a nickname, too?”

“What’s this all of a sudden?” Hyun-a teased, “You wanna be treated like you’re special now?”

“T-That’s not what I meant…!”

“Just kidding. But for real, why’re you worrying about some nickname? Isn’t this exhilarating? The movie’s gonna start soon!”

“Well, you guys kept talking about nicknames and it seems like everyone’s having a great time… and I thought that also meant you were friends.”

“Well, necessarily, you don’t need a nickname to be friends with someone,” Colston corrected, “However… if you really do want a nickname, we can give ya one just like that. Like, boom.”

“O-Oh, thanks so much! But, uh…” Alicia whispered, “Sorry if I’m being too picky, but can my nickname not be ‘Cyclone?’”

“Of course not. Hmm…” Colston scratched his head. “Damn it, I can’t think of one.”

Hyun-a stated, “It has to be a nickname that fits her… Ooh, how about Turtle?”

Colston blinked and glared at Hyun-a. “What…?”

“Turtles are cute, but they’re actually badass, and they can hurt you. Doesn’t that fit Alicia?”

“I don’t think anyone would appreciate being called a turtle.”

“Then, how about BFG? Shy? Kenyan Purple Leaf?”

“Nah, those are way too literal… Hmm… Aqua?”

“Aqua?” Alicia exclaimed, “I really like that one! Or, uh…” She paused, “What do you guys think?”

“I think it’s perfect,” Hyun-a spoke with a smile. “Congratulations, your new nickname is Aqua!”

Colston and Hyun-a clapped for Alicia as she chuckled with a wide grin. 

That nickname really was perfect. 

“Aqua, huh?” Alicia looked up towards the ceiling and let out a sigh of satisfaction and relief. “It’s a good nickname. I like it.”   
  
*****  
  
That evening, Nagisa left an empty classroom, followed by a young girl with sharp, hazel-colored eyes.   
  
It wouldn't be the last time, and this wasn't the first time it had occurred, either.   
  
It wasn't like anything else was important.


	26. Aren't you Disappointed?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alicia has a talk with her mother about the previous event. Afterwards, on a special day, Ruby helps Alicia create a gift for her mother. Meanwhile, Ruby thinks things over.

In the middle of reading, Alicia was called to her mother’s room.

This could only mean one thing.

The movie night was over, and therefore, for the first time in years, Alicia’s mother would sit down and talk with her, and it was over that one text message. It just had to be.

Forget talking about it in the car. Despite Alicia’s anxiousness, her mother wanted to be able to make eye contact with her, and they both agreed to discuss this text message at home. 

This couldn’t be good.

Alicia opened the door to her mom’s room and entered. “Uh, hey, Mum…” 

“Alicia.” She took out her phone, went straight to messages, and pointed at the most recent message sent under Alicia’s number. “Can you explain this?”

“Uh… are you also mad about the movie night thing?”

“Of course not.”

“Oh— wait, what?!”

“I think it’s great that you’re going to events like those with your friends,” she explained. “At first I was a bit angry, but after two years I understood a bit more. You’re mature, and I trust you.”

“I thought you didn’t want me going to those school events, though…”

“You don’t necessarily have to interact with every single student in the school for movie night, so that’s fine. I’m just worried for the Color Run and other things like that. There are a lot of competitive kids out there. They’re, uh, dumbasses.”

“Oh…” 

Alicia knew that her mum was overprotective, but she never stopped to think if it had ever died out. Her mother had been fairly laid-back lately, and that just show’s how much she’s growing to trust her daughter more, and Alicia’s not complaining.

“So, can you explain to me what this text is all about?” Her mum stared at her phone with a frown. “It really hurt my feelings. I don’t think any mum would wanna be called this.”

“Uh…” Alicia stammered, “W-Well, it’s hard to explain, but I was scared of telling you about the movie night thing, so I asked Dennis to help me, but instead, he stole my phone— _ even though he asked _ —and sent that message, and as much as I wanted to delete it, there was no way I could even tell you anything, but then I found out that he told you I ‘totally wasn’t going to movie night’ which was an obvious lie, and I really wanted to be honest with you, but—“

“Woah, woah, slow down, angel,” her mum chuckled, “One at a time... But, you need to tell this friend of yours to stop using such foul language so often. It’s not good for you.”

“What if I’m in a dangerous situation…?”

“Oh, of course. If that’s the case, then cursing is totally fine. Just don’t use it too frequently. That’s bad. I don’t really mind, but I don’t want these other parents to stare us down. And make sure this Dennis kid isn’t forcing you to do anything you don’t wanna do, okay?”

“Okay, I will.”

“Great! And… sorry if I’m worrying a bit too much.”

“Huh?” Well, that was a surprise.

“I’ve been meaning to apologize, since my own daughter needs to be told the truth, but I’ve been wondering if there was gonna be a  _ right  _ time. You’ve been through a lot at this school, especially with what you told me not too long ago, but now you’re already making new friends and trying out new things, it seems. I’m really proud of you. So I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to hold back on anything. That’s the last thing I’d wanna do as your mum.”

“It’s okay. Calling you overprotective was just me being dramatic, I guess… a-and it’s not like I don’t appreciate it!” Alicia mumbled, “But sometimes you do go a little overboard…”

Her mum excitedly squealed, “My daughter’s having a mind of her own already! I remember the day you first entered middle school. You were so quiet and you didn’t wanna talk to anyone, not even me, but look at you now.”

“You told me to not interact with the kids at school, though… I mean, the bad ones.”

“Exactly. But then you just didn’t wanna make any friends all together. You just had that orange kid. After that, I kinda felt bad.”

“Oh… sorry if I made you feel bad.”

“Don’t worry, it’s all good.” Alicia’s mum added, “Anyway, just be sure to not let Dennis use your phone ever again, or I will take drastic measures. That kid won’t see it coming…”

“Hah, Mum, your eyes are scary…”

“Well, off you go! Finish your reading. I might let you use the computer later on. And the TV’s always free.”

“Thanks, Mum!” 

Alicia exited the room and went straight to hers to resume her reading. She felt relief, and the worry that her mum would be angry about the movie night dissipated. She knew that her mum let her have fun as long as she was safe, but she was still scared to tell her certain things. This was a start, though. And thanks to the movie night, she was able to become friends with Colston and Hyun-a, and even get her own nickname. 

Maybe one day, she could tell her mum about all the wonderful things she’s done.

*****

Two weeks later, Crafts Week had finally arrived. It lasted three days, and started on Wednesday. The Elementary division had theirs earlier, but now it was the middle schoolers’ turn. And with that, on Thursday, it was time for the 7th graders to have a shot at it.

However, there was a big problem. Alicia hated Crafts Week. But now, she at least had some friends to call her own so she could get some help, so it wouldn’t be as bad as it was for the past couple of years. But another problem was that she definitely knew what to make, and had a vast imagination, but she could never make it a reality. It’s not like she doesn’t have the motivation or spirit for it, but the things she comes up with in her mind are hard to explain and develop in the real world. She couldn’t even write them, which added more onto the problem.

It wasn’t the end of the world, though. 

_ Hmm… I could just ask Min-Jun for some help. He’s in my class, and he seems really nice. Lisa is, too, but… I think I wanna wait a little while before I approach her for anything. And I don’t think Colston’s here today. He said he didn’t wanna come. _

But then, she remembered something.

_ Wait, this is divided by grade. Since we’re all in a different classroom, I won’t be able to ask Min-Jun. I can’t go to anyone else either… what am I gonna do?  _

She struggled to remember the students who were both in her grade and class. It was mainly difficult because it was hard to remember who was in 8th grade or not, even if there weren’t too many non-7th graders. 

_ Who…? Oh, wait a minute, Ruby’s in my grade! She’s around here! Maybe I can ask her for some help! I hope she isn’t already paired with someone else... _

Alicia looked up from her desk as her fellow classmates sat at their desks. The teacher walked up front and began writing on the chalkboard.

She then faced the students and announced, “Alright, everyone. I’m sure you’re all aware that it’s the second day of Crafts Week, and it’s time for you 7th graders to get to work. So, we’re gonna be picking up something we did last year. So today, all of you will be able to pick your own partner. Choose them wisely.” 

_ Wait a minute,  _ Alicia suddenly thought,  _ Ruby is Rudy’s sister, so that means… she’s probably popular. She might have a lot of friends, too… this’ll be impossible. _

“I’ll give you three minutes to choose a partner,” the teacher continued, “And once you two are done, take a seat and get prepared.”

And so, every student in the classroom got up from their seat to choose a partner. Some formed a crowd around others, while a few kids decided to stay by themselves, eventually getting a partner last minute. Alicia winced and tried to spot Ruby, who was nowhere to be found. Luckily, she was able to find her near the corner of the room.

Alicia called out, “Ruby! Uh, over here!” 

“Huh? Alicia?” Ruby carefully walked around the multiple people surrounding her.

They spoke, “Ruby, aren’t you gonna be my partner?”

“Aren’t we best friends? You promised!”

“Oh well.”

“Uh, sorry guys,” Ruby replied, “But I gotta help out a friend.”

Another one of them hollered, “But I’m your friend! Man, I can’t believe you’re just gonna abandon me like that. How cruel.”

Ruby let out a sigh and softly smiled. “Sorry, dude. I’ll partner up with you next time, I promise.”

They cheered, “Yay!”

“Anyway…!” Ruby walked towards Alicia and greeted, “What’s up? Did you wanna be partners?”

“U-Uh,” Alicia said, “Yeah! I don’t really know anyone else here, and Colston isn’t here today, so…”

Ruby clenched onto her skirt. “Ooh, why me?”

“Well… your brother is a nice person, and since you're his sister, I thought you’d be really nice, too. Whenever I’m in the club, you also seem pretty cool…”

She flinched at Alicia’s words. “Thanks! I’m not exactly the creative type, but I hope I can help.”

“Of course.”

The duo walked to an empty desk and took a seat. Once all of the other students did the same, and their time was up, the teacher made another announcement.

“Time’s up,” she declared. “Now that you all have partners, you can get started. As you can see, all of your materials are already there for you. If you need any extras, feel free to go to the back of the room to retrieve some. You may now start.”

Once she finished making her announcement, the students began working on their projects.

Alicia sighed, “I’m a little nervous… don’t we have a time limit?”

“We have around an hour,” Ruby replied, “But honestly, that time kinda goes by a bit too quickly. So, we just gotta make the most of it!”

“Making the most of it is hard. I’m good at thinking of stuff, but I can’t really actually make the stuff.” Alicia chuckled, “It’s weird, isn’t it?”

“No, I totally get you. Sometimes that happens to me, too. You see, I was making a poster for some Fourth of July thing, and Nagisa and I had to walk all ‘round the mall just to find some ideas. I was totally brain dead!”

“Nagisa…?”

“Yeah, that’s right. T-The others thought of it as a date, but that doesn’t matter…! Anyway, I was totally stumped, so we went to the mall and got some ice cream after that. It took us ages to think of stuff. It was all thanks to Nagisa and those other flyers we saw. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have won the poster competition!”

“Well…”

_ So I guess Nagisa really is friends with the others. That’s nice… I mean, Nagisa’s still confusing and weird, but at least they aren’t a monster.  _

“That’s great. And congrats on winning the competition. There’s no way I could ever participate in something like that. It’s too much pressure.”

“I get ya! But I’m used to all the pressure, since I used to participate in sports games and all that.” She lowered her head. “I don’t really play sports that much anymore, but once all my problems are dealt with, I’m probably gonna get back in a team or something.”

“Problems? What problems?”

Ruby paused and stroked her chin, lost in thought. Maybe clearing her mind and letting it all out would help. She didn’t want to inconvenience Alicia in the middle of the project, after all.

“...Hmm, I guess it won’t hurt to tell ya.” Ruby began, “So, basically, y’know how Nagisa hasn’t been showing up at all, right?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“I really miss them. Like, I haven’t seen them in class for a month, and they aren’t responding to my calls. I’ve tried everything, but nothing’s changed. I wanna know what happened.”

“...You care about them that much?”

“Yeah, I guess… we’ve just been really close.” She put on a disguised smile. “There’s more to it than that, but I’m gonna leave the serious stuff outta this. It’s time to have fun!”

“Ruby… are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. It’s just…” Ruby bit her lip, cursing herself for letting such words slip out of her mouth at a time like this. “A lot’s happened these past few years, and I haven’t been able to do much with my life.” She attempted to spice up her words with half-hearted humor, “Y’know those kids who already have a huge dream, and wanna move to China?”

“Yes…?”

“Yeah, but I don’t have that. It’s like, uh…” Her expression dropped. “It’s weird, but sometimes I don’t know what to do with myself. The only thing I know how to do is get into other people’s business, y’know?”

“I don’t really understand…”

“Heh, that’s totally fine.” Ruby shook her head, in disbelief that she just uttered all of that to someone she didn’t even know that well. She put on a smile once more. “That’s just the gist of it. So, anyway, let’s get started on this thing!”

“Right…” 

_ I don’t know what she’s going through, but… I hope everything turns out okay. Maybe it’d be fine if Nagisa were to come back… I mean, not for me, but for everyone else. I actually never thought of that. _

“So, did you have anything in mind already?”

“Hmm,” Ruby wondered, “Let’s see… Oh, maybe we can make something for your mom!”

“My mum? But why?”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to receive a gift from your daughter? I think that’d be neat!”

“I guess so. I know what she likes, but I dunno if we can make it.”

“Don’t worry! And, wait a minute…”

“Huh?”

“Did you just say ‘mum?’”

“Y-Yeah, I did.”

“Oh my god…” Ruby dramatically gasped and blurted, “Are you British?!”

“H-Huh? Uh, yeah, I am. My whole family is, actually. We came here from Britain a couple years ago.”

“That’s so neat! I love your accent! It’s super cute! And I’ve always wanted to say ‘mum…’ but I’m not British…”

“T-Thanks.” Alicia chuckled, “And you can still call her ‘mum.’ I don’t think it really matters that much…”

“Nah, all Spanish people gotta call ‘em ‘Mamá.’ I think that’s a rule. I’ve broken it a couple times. I’m just not a fan of calling her that, I guess.”

“You’re Spanish?”

“Yup! ¿Ya aprendiste español?”

“Oh, a little bit! I can’t really speak it, but I can understand. Uh… ¿Tu eres mi amigo…?”

“Mhm! Perfect! And… oh, wait, we’re getting off-topic.” Ruby questioned, “So, what does your mom like?”

“She’s a fan of birds, so… maybe we can make a birdhouse.”

“Neat! But what can we use to make that? I can’t really see much here. They should’ve given us more materials.”

“Yeah…” Alicia widely smiled and exclaimed, “Oh, I got it! Do you have a soda bottle on you?”

“Nope. Maybe we can ask someone else.”

“Oh.”

Alicia scanned the classroom, checking to see if there were any students with a soda bottle. If the 7th grade class wasn’t divided into two different rooms, then she’d be freaking out by now. 

“I don’t see anyone… wait, there!” Alicia’s eyes landed on a girl with beautiful, wavy amethyst hair. She then pointed to her.

“Oh, that’s Miette! She’s one of my friends,” Ruby informed. “Let’s go up to her.” 

“Uh, excuse me?” Alicia walked up to Miette alongside Ruby, hoping she wouldn’t be acknowledged by the multitude of students.

“Oh, hey,” said Miette, “Who are you?” 

“U-Uh…”

“She’s my friend, Alicia.” Ruby patted her on the back and explained, “We’re partners, and we’re gonna try to make a birdhouse, too!”

“That’s nice!” Miette pointed out, “I’m partnered with Ali here. She doesn’t talk much, but she’s still cool. We’re gonna make a mason jar.”

“Neat!”

“Anyway, what brings you guys here?” Miette asked with a teasing tone, “Are you gonna try to steal our stuff?”

“N-No, that’s not it,” Alicia said. “We, uh…”

_ Come on Alicia, you can do this. You handled being in a gym with a million people, so you can handle talking to one person. One person… Yeah, she’s one of Ruby’s friends. This is gonna be fine. That’s what the others would say to me. This is fine. _

“I wanted to ask if we could use your soda bottle for our project. Is that okay?”

“Hmm…” Miette blatantly replied, “No.”

“W-What? Why not?”

Miette giggled, “Making a birdhouse out of a soda bottle? Sounds like too much work to me. There’s an easier way, y’know!”

“Like what…?”

“Just buy one off the internet!”

“We can’t do that right now…!”

“Don’t worry, I have some money you can borrow! I stole it from some kid named Kieron. I don’t think he’ll be needing it anytime soon!”

“W-Wait, that’s bad! You shouldn’t steal from people!”

“It’s called business.”

Ruby inquired, “Uh, Mimi, can we please have your soda bottle? We really need it.”

“Hmm…” Miette bore a smug look on her face. “You really, really, really need it?”

“Yup!”

“Are you really, really, really sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure!”

“If I give this to you, are you gonna use it for your project, and nothing else?”

“Of course.”

“Alicia’s really in on this, too?”

“Yes…”

“Can you live without it?”

“No…?”

“Alright, here you go!” Miette handed the empty soda bottle to Ruby and grinned. “It seems more important to you. Good luck with the birdhouse!”

“Oh, thanks.”

Ruby and Alicia walked back to their desk and placed the soda bottle down, as Miette continued to glare at them with an intimidating expression and nudging Ali’s shoulder. Ali turned her head away in reply.

“That was easier than I thought it would be,” Alicia remarked. “I thought she wouldn’t give it to us…”

“Sometimes, it just requires a bit more pushiness with her.” Ruby mumbled, “Well, not Lisa’s level of pushiness, but that’s just how Mimi is.” She beamed, “And Miette’s a really nice person! Maybe you two can become friends.”

“That sounds nice. She does kinda look like me, though.”

“Yeah, you’re right! You both have purple eyes. Heh, maybe people would think that you’re both sisters!”

“Maybe… And, uh, y’know, you’re just like I thought you’d be like. You’re a nice person, too.”

“Thanks so much! Man, you’re gonna get me all sentimental. I might cry.”

“D-Don’t cry!”

“Just kidding!” Ruby giggled.

“Hah… anyway, we gotta figure out what we’re gonna do with this bottle. Hmm…” Alicia intensely stared at the bottle. “Maybe we can cut it.” She exclaimed, “Oh, I got it! Then, after that, we can cut off the plastic ring, use some spray paint, poke a hole through the cap, get some twine and put it through, wrap the twine ‘round the bottle, use glue to attach the halves, and we’re done!”

“Woah…” Ruby stared at Alicia with a surprised look. “That’s amazing.”

“O-Oh, sorry, did I go overboard? I didn’t mean to say all that… uh…”

“No, that’s amazing! Super amazing! I can’t believe you just thought of all of that in your head in, like, a few seconds! You’re a genius!” Ruby wished she could say those things about herself.

“Really…?”

“Yeah! Have you read any books on making machines and stuff?”

“Well, a few months ago, yeah… I know it’s random, but I’ve read just about everything. I might need that for the future or something…”

“I wish I had your skills. I’m good at a few things, but not to the point where it makes me a total genius. That’s you.”

“A genius? Me? I’ve just been thinking of reading books my whole life, but…”

“Maybe you can become an inventor! Or maybe a scientist! Ooh, speaking of Miette, how about a successful con-man? ...Or is that con- _ woman _ ?”

“I don’t really know. I still haven’t decided yet. But it seems like you already have everything set out for you. I mean, you said that you liked playing sports. That’s something you have a career from.”

“Well, I dunno, I’m still a bit iffy on that.” Ruby frowned and let out a sigh. “I mean, would my brother even want that?”

“I feel like you should do whatever you wanna do. He can do his own thing, and you can do your own.”

“I guess.” But she knew advice couldn’t help her at that point.

“Anyway… I’m really bad at making stuff, so can you help me…?”

Hearing those words from Alicia reminded Ruby of her brother. It hurt. “Of course! I’ll do it all! Just say the instructions as I go, and leave it to me!”

“Thank you so much, Ruby,” Alicia spoke with a smile. She then grabbed a pair of scissors and handed them to Ruby. “Okay, so, first, cut the bottle in half, and cut off the plastic ring.”

“Aye aye.” Ruby followed suit, and placed the scissors to the side. “What’s next, sir?”

“Next, we gotta find some spray paint. I don’t know where to find that, though… maybe it’s in the back…?”

“Nope. I checked that place out before we started, and I didn’t see any spray paint.” Ruby suggested, “But hey, maybe birds would actually like hanging around a birdhouse that looks like a Coke bottle.”

“I mean, my mum really likes Coke, so… yeah, you’re right, it probably won’t be a problem. But next, we gotta poke a hole through the cap.”

“On it! Do you happen to have an extremely sharp and pointy pen in your pockets?”

“Uh…” Alicia thoroughly went through the pockets in her cardigan, and felt a few items located inside. “Yeah, but do you really think that’ll be enough?”

“Maybe. It’s worth a shot.”

Alicia handed the pen to Ruby, and watched as she repeatedly tried to poke a hole in the cap.

“Dang, this is tough. Is this, like, a super cap?”

“Hmm…”

“You give this a try.” Ruby handed the pen back to Alicia.

“Alright, let’s see…”

With a single stab of the pen, a hole was poked in the middle of the bottle cap (and also hit the table, but that’s not important). 

“Woah, you’re strong,” Ruby complimented. “Do you have muscles? Abs, even?”

“Nah, I don’t think so,” Alicia giggled. She shoved the pen back inside one of her pockets. “Any twine?”

“I don’t even know what twine is.”

“It’s basically string, but a lot stronger. Did you see any of that earlier?”

Ruby felt ashamed. “Hmm…” She shook her head. “Nope, sorry. Maybe we should use something else.”

“Yeah, but… we could also use kitchen twines, but I doubt there’ll be any of those, either. I think I have to find some at home.”

“That’s a better idea.”

“So, all we gotta do now is use a hot glue gun to glue the halves together, and we’re done. Where is it?”

Ruby pointed to the corner of the room. “It’s somewhere over there, but there’s alotta people trying to use it. I think we gotta wait our turn.”

“Really? I can’t wait that long… this is making me anxious. How much time do we have left?”

“Around fifty minutes, I think.” 

“O-Oh. Time went by slowly,” Alicia chuckled lightly. “Sorry, it’s just that, sometimes, I’m in a rush… like, a lot…”

“Don’t worry, I know how that feels. Plus, I gotta bare with that at home with Rudy, so my situation is your’s multiplied by ten fold.”

“Well, at least you’re still there for each other.” Alicia looked downwards and lamented, “My big sis is barely home.”

“How come? Where is she?”

“She works at a job or something, but I didn’t think that she’d be gone the entire day. It’s been like this for almost a year, and I barely get to see her.”

“Oh, I see…” This made Ruby want to help her in more ways than one. 

“U-Uh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to say all of that, I swear! Uh…”

“No, it’s fine. Do you know how she feels at her job?”

“...Well, she’s dedicated alotta time to it. It took her ages to get accepted. And I wouldn’t stay at a job if it made me unhappy… but that’s probably just me…”

“So, your sister feels happy?”

“Probably, yeah.”

“Hmm, okay, then…” Ruby widely grinned at Alicia. “Don’t be like me. If your sister’s already happy, then... you shouldn’t be dissatisfied or anything. Keep yourself happy by reading a book or something. I can hang out with you in the library, too, if you want. Then, maybe you can see your sister again someday! Plus, she wouldn’t want to see you upset or anything when she comes back!”

“That makes sense… Thanks for helping me, Ruby. I didn’t even mean to say all of that, but…”

“Glad I could help! Anytime! And, hey, it looks like the glue gun is free. We better get to it before someone else takes it!”

“Yeah, you’re right.”

_ Ruby’s really nice. She seems like the type of person I can always talk to. I didn’t even feel nervous at all. And at this rate, we can finish this birdhouse really soon. I hope Mum ends up liking it. _

*****

The school day was over, and everyone was finally dismissed. Many children showcased their crafts to their parents, while others just threw theirs away. Alicia walked outside towards the pick-up area, and waited for her car to arrive. She eventually decided to sit on the bench, grasping onto the miniature birdhouse.

_ I can’t believe the day is already over. I had a lot of fun. The other’s are probably in the club right now, so I’m just gonna tell them what happened tomorrow. Wait… why am I thinking about that? It’s not like I have to tell them, but… _

Once she looked up, she noticed that her car had arrived. She walked to her car and opened the door, closing it shut behind her once inside.

“Hello there, my lovely daughter,” her mum greeted, turning to face the backseat. “How was your day? Did anything happen?”

“It was good,” Alicia replied.

“That’s good. Say, what do you have there? A cute little birdhouse?”

“Yeah… and it’s for you.”

Her mum gasped out of delight, “Really? It looks really cute! You even made it out of a Coke bottle. Now that’s extra respectable.”

“Hah, I’m so glad you like it so much.”

“Of course! You know how much I love my birds. Keep holding onto it, okay? We can set it up when we get home.”

Alicia nodded as her smile grew wider. “Alright! And, uh…” She looked out the car’s rear window. “I think we gotta go. There’s a line.”

“Oh, right.” 

Alicia giggled and stared out the side windows, admiring the scenery as they left the school and drove home. It made her look back on the day they had first arrived at their new home in Springfield, Missouri. Living in Britain was already put behind them, and though Alicia was a bit anxious at first, she got used to living in a different country. 

Her experiences in Britain were mentionable, but that wasn't important at the moment. That was enough of the serious stuff. 

But due to that, her life of living in a sheltered family began. Living in Missouri wasn’t so bad, but interacting with other people made her nervous. 

However, her story was re-written, and changed in a way she could’ve never imagined it would.

_ I can’t wait to go to the Anime Club tomorrow. I’ll try to be a good member. _

But Ruby only saw it as another ‘opportunity’ to disappoint a new member.

She  _ knew  _ Alicia would end up joining the club. It was written all over her face, but even if that wasn’t made apparent, Ruby could just tell. It should’ve made her happy, but it was only painful; glancing at Alicia’s happy expression as they spoke.

She felt envy, but that wasn’t right. 

She should’ve been wishing that happiness upon everyone else, especially her brother, right? And Nagisa seemed to have needed it the most, after being absent from the club’s activities for so long. Ruby was assured that she did something wrong. 

Maybe she was that literal, walking reason. 


	27. “They Feel Complete.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At last, Alicia makes the announcement that she’ll be officially joining the club. In the middle of their discussion on celebrating, a familiar yet unfamiliar face appears.

_ My name is Alicia, and I used to live in Britain, but after certain events, we moved here in Springfield, Missouri. Yeah, that’s right… at first, my mum told me that I shouldn’t interact with too many people in class, especially if they’re really bad. She also said that I shouldn’t participate in school events. But now, that’s changed a little. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have met Ruby and the others. I just wish this change would’ve happened sooner… but there’s nothing I can really do about that. At least things are different now. _

Alicia walked upstairs from her classroom to the Anime Club’s clubroom, grasping onto the handles of her backpack.

_ But how am I gonna tell them that I wanna join…? I don’t wanna be dramatic or anything. It’s not like it’s that important, either. Although… maybe it is. Their club doesn’t have too many members, so maybe they’d be really happy. And if Nagisa were to come back…  _

She stood in front of the door and took a deep breath.

_ I-I’m still confused, but… it seems like Nagisa is really important to everyone else.  _

She twisted the doorknob and opened the door, entering the clubroom.

_ I just hope this doesn’t go wrong or something… _

“Uh, hi.”

“Oh, ‘sup Alicia,” Ruby greeted, “You’re here early!”

“Yeah, I just really wanted to come, I guess.” Alicia took a seat, only to be bombarded with a ton of information.

“You’re just in time, too!” Dennis hopped from his seat and held up a piece of paper. “We were all talking about my super awesome test results!”

“Are you delusional? You got a D,” Min-Jun corrected.

“It’s still awesome if I did my best! Plus, you’re the delusional one!”

“...What do you mean?”

“The other day, Hyun-a told me that she saw you doing some weird black magic stuff in your room. Were you performing a ritual, or what?”

Heat arose in Min-Jun’s face as he shouted, “H-Hyun-a!”

Hyun-a shrugged. “What? I thought it was cool. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“B-But how did you even…?”

“I have eyes everywhere, Min.” 

“Ugh.” Min-Jun covered up his face with his hands out of embarrassment and sighed. “You guys better not ask any questions.”

Dennis then bore a smug look on his face. “Hmm…”

“Don’t you dare.”

“Are you going through a phase?”

“N-No! Just... forget about it.”

“Aqua’s going through a reading phase all the time,” Colston remarked. 

“I don’t think that counts as a phase,” said Rudy. “I mean, she just really likes reading. I don’t really do much at home…”

Lisa sprang up from her seat and announced, “Well, do y’all wanna know what I do at home? I have a ton of—“

“No.” Rudy urged, “Please sit down.”

“Fine.” Lisa did as she was told and pouted.

_ Why’s Rudy only being strict with me, lately? _

Alicia quietly muttered, “U-Uh, sorry to interrupt, but…” 

“Huh?” Ruby questioned, “What’s up? Did something happen?”

“No, nothing did. Uh…”

_ I probably won’t be able to turn back on this… well, it’s more like Dennis is gonna force me to stay, but… I don’t mind. So I’m gonna say it. _

“...I really wanna join the club now. You’re all really nice, and it’s been a lot of fun. I don’t know if I’ll help with anything, but I’ll try, or something.”

“Wait, really?” Dennis exclaimed, “That’s awesome! Finally!”

“Welcome to the club,” Rudy spoke. “But, it already kinda felt like you were a part of it, didn’t it?”

Alicia questioned, “Really?” 

“Yeah, I mean, you didn’t come in every day, but you still hung out with us a lot. I’m really glad.”

Alicia widely smiled. “Me too!”

“We should celebrate,” Hyun-a suggested, “Like, have a celebration for how many people we have now. A party should be do-able, right? We have nine members.”

“Yeah, sure, but where?” asked Colston. “What, are we gonna go to that one pizza place?”

Min-Jun crossed his arms. “Ew, don’t mention that place. I think the last time I went there a few years ago, I got hella sick. It must’ve been from all the germs.”

Ruby truly didn’t want to say anything. It felt like a chore. “Oh yeah, and I went with you! At least we don’t have to go there anymore. Once I told our parents about the nasty pizza, they had a total freak-out.”

“Well, I think we should go to my house.” Lisa bragged, “It’s really neat, and I have tons of stuff! Like my piano!”

“Hmm, maybe we should try out the aquarium,” Rudy wondered.

“Are you ignoring me?!”

Alicia asked, “Why the aquarium?” 

“Well…” Rudy explained, “I was thinking that maybe Nagisa would be there. Then, we could all meet up and celebrate there.”

Dennis huffed, “Jeez, Nagisa’s missed out on, like, way too much! Are they ever coming back?” 

Ruby frowned and laid her head on the table as the others continued to converse.

“I dunno.” Min-Jun added, “Maybe they left the school for good. That’d be weird, since they just stopped coming near the beginning of the year, but it could be possible.”

Alicia mumbled, “Um…” 

_ They haven’t left the school for good. I saw them a couple of weeks ago. They approached me, for some reason, but I never saw them again… I should probably tell everyone. _

“Nagisa didn’t leave the school. I saw them a little while ago, but I don't know what happened after that.”

Ruby immediately looked up with confusion.

“Ooh, mysterious,” Hyun-a joshed. 

“Wait a minute…” Ruby wondered, stroking her chin, “But why would Nagisa show up to Alicia, and not us? Was Nagisa really at school that day, Aqua?”

“I think so, I dunno,” Alicia replied. “I think it’d be weird to only show up at the end of the day…” 

“Maybe Nagisa just doesn’t wanna see you guys,” Hyun-a blatantly commented.

Ruby’s eyebrows rose. “...What?”

“I mean, it just sounds like they’ve been avoiding you all. But honestly, it could also just be them trying to avoid school, too.”

“Did we do something wrong…?”

Ruby did her very best to try to remember the Anime Club’s past events. Alicia came along recently, but she needed to look past that. The time  _ before  _ Nagisa left. 

_ The video shooting… the Fourth of July… my date with Nagisa… the sleepover… the day Rudy went to that cooking class… Dennis’ arrival… the club’s formation... Where did it all go wrong? What happened? What did we do? What did I do? Was I being selfish again? This is all my fault, isn’t it? _

Then, she came to a realization.

_...Is it because I was so focused on Rudy? I was so gloomy and weird, Nagisa didn’t want to stay? Is that it? They cared about me, and I just kept throwing myself away like a piece of garbage. I’m the worst... _

“I-I’m sure they’ll come back!” Alicia assured, “They meant a lot to you guys, and they probably know that. So... I feel like they’re gonna come.”

Alicia knew how worried Ruby was, and she figured that she might as well try to help. Even if she didn’t know her for too long, it wouldn’t hurt. 

Besides, everything works out in the end. There are no side effects whatsoever. Everything will be fine, and nothing bad will happen. 

It’ll be fine…

It’ll  _ be fine… _

_ It’ll be fine. _

Out of nowhere, the club members heard the sound of the door creaking open. And there stood a familiar tall figure.

“Hi,” they spoke. “I’m Nagisa.”

The room turned silent, and everyone turned their heads to face Nagisa as shock crossed their faces.

Especially Ruby’s.

“Nagi…?” As soon as the realization kicked in, Ruby’s entire face lit up with excitement and joy. “Nagisa! You’re here!” She ran up to Nagisa and hugged them tightly, to their surprise. “I can’t believe it! I missed you!”

“Woah.” Nagisa returned the gesture.

“Speak of the devil!” Lisa ran up to Nagisa alongside Rudy and Min-Jun. “Do you know how long you were gone? Like, a super long time! You missed alotta stuff, y’know!”

“I did?” asked Nagisa, as Ruby pulled away from the hug. 

“Glad to have you back,” Rudy spoke with a smile. “We missed having you here.”

“As much as I hate to admit this…” Min-Jun mumbled, “Uh, it felt weird without you… but only because you were the second member.” 

“The second? That’s interesting,” Hyun-a wondered. “I didn’t think Rudy made the club along with Nagisa. I thought it was Min-Jun, or someone else.”

“Same here,” Colston chimed in. “I just thought it was Ruby.”

“Hey, hey, Nagisa, do you remember this?” Dennis announced, “Embrace your inner Spaniel! WOO!”

“We’ll crush the world like roaches,” Nagisa stated. It had no enthusiasm whatsoever, but it still counted.

“That’s what I’m talking about! Welcome back!”

“Yeah.” Nagisa nodded in reply.

Ruby held Nagisa’s hands and piped, “Y’know, we were thinking of having a celebration for our new member Alicia, but now it’s gonna be even better since you're here!”

“O-Okay,” Nagisa responded out of confusion.

“Oh, yeah, I forgot to introduce you. Over there is Hyun-a and Colston, and our new member is Alicia, right there. Wanna sit down?”

“Yeah.” 

The quintet sat down at the table, as Alicia was struck with nervousness. Not because of the multiple people, but because Nagisa was sitting right next to her.

_ Calm down, Alicia. It’s not like they’re a threat. It’s gonna be fine.  _

She faked a smile and greeted, “U-Uh, hi… we’ve met before… or something…”

Nagisa stared at her in reply.

“Uh… sorry, I’ll stop talking now.”

“So, Nagisa, is it okay if we can go to the aquarium today?” asked Rudy.

Nagisa shook their head. “No. It’s closed today.”

“Well, that’s convenient,” Min-Jun said as he rolled his eyes. “Anywhere else we can go?”

Lisa gasped and suggested, “Oh, how about the beach? I can show off my swimsuit there!”

Afterwards, everyone mentally facepalmed.

“Lisa…” Colston suppressed a sardonic laugh, “There are no beaches in Missouri…”

“Aww man,“ Lisa whined, “That would’ve been nice.”

“What do you think we should do, Cyclone?” Dennis teased, “You’re the new member, after all. So it’s only fair that you make all the decisions for us!”

Alicia stammered, “H-Huh…? I don’t know…”

“Hmm. Oh, I know,” Hyun-a suggested, “We should go to the places the each of us like. So, instead of going to one place, we can go to multiple in one day.”

“Sounds good,” Colston agreed. “Can we do that on Saturday? ‘Cuz, like, I know it’s Friday, but the day’s almost over.”

Rudy stated, “Yeah, of course. So, maybe we can all go to a restaurant and get lunch before we go to all those other places. Does that sound good?”

“Yeah, but where are we gonna eat?” Lisa scoffed, “If it’s not a high-class restaurant, then I’m not going.”

“Hmm… Ruby and I really like going to Café Cusco.”

“Ooh, that’s a cool place!” Dennis excitedly piped, “Let’s go, let’s go! Dang, this reminds me of the time we went out to the movies and stuff!”

“I feel like this should be a bit more relaxed though,” Min-Jun insisted. “I mean, there’s more people here. I don’t wanna overwhelm them.”

“Meh, I guess you’re right!”

Colston turned to face Alicia. “Are you gonna be fine with that, Aqua? I’m sure there’s gonna be alotta people.”

“Y-Yeah, it should be fine,” she replied.

_ I wonder if Nagisa’s gonna come along, too. They only just got here again, apparently. _

The fact that Nagisa was there gave Ruby the boost in energy that she needed. “Alright, so it’s decided then, right? Man, I’m actually really excited! It’s gonna be cooler since we have more people with us. It’ll be this club’s first… uh, field trip!”

“A field trip?” Hyun-a chuckled, “That’s a strange way to put it.”

“I know, but won’t this kinda feel like a school field trip?”

“Yeah, you’re right. This might be really fun.”

“Yup! It’s gonna be awesome! Even better, now that Nagisa’s finally here!”

_ I don’t wanna ruin the fun for tomorrow, so I’m gonna ask Nagisa why they left next week. But… should I really…? _

*****

On a Saturday morning, the nine club members stood in front of Lisa’s garage. She ended up persuading them all to meet up in front of her house, which was seemingly impossible. 

Supposedly, the Myers’ mother was supposed to pick them up, but everyone assumed that she was late, so they decided to hang out at Lisa’s house for a little while longer.

“Hey, Min-Jun,” Lisa began, “What do you think of my outfit? It’s brand new! Isn’t it super cute?”

“It’s too pink…” Min-Jun exasperated, “My eyes… it hurts…”

“Hmph, you just have no taste. Do you have any idea how expensive this was?”

“Just because something’s expensive, doesn’t mean it’s automatically cool.”

“...I guess you’re right, but still! Try buying this yourself, and see how it looks on ya!”

“And why would I wanna do that?!”

“So you can get a feel of it! You’re opening your eyes to the world of fashion! Get a grip on it! It’ll change your life!”

“I don’t wanna change my life!” Min-Jun groaned, “Rudy, can you tell her to stop forcing me to wear these stupid girly clothes?”

“I’m not forcing you, I just want you to be enlightened!”

Rudy facepalmed and let out a sigh. “Both of you, stop, please.” 

“Hey, Ruby,” Alicia asked, “What kind of car does your mum have?”

She forced herself to reply, “A Lamborghini Veneno, actually.”

“Wait, what?! You’re that rich?”

“It actually didn’t cost much. It was only four million bucks.”

“That’s a shit load of money!” Colston cursed under his breath, “Damn, rich people are crazy…”

“How did your family end up earning so much money?” asked Hyun-a.

“I actually don’t really know,” Ruby said as she shrugged, “But out of nowhere, back in Puerto Rico, we got this huge boost in money.”

“Wow, you guys are lucky!” Dennis complained, “I could use, like, a thousand bucks right now. Can I borrow some?”

“Sorry, Papa won’t let us give it away.” 

“Man, that sucks. Well, at least he’s technically paying for all the food we’re gonna eat!”

“Oh, we aren’t paying. Lisa is.”

“Yeah, of course I am—“ Lisa rebuked, “Wait, what?! No, no, no, no, I’m not paying! W-What are you talking about?! That Cusco place is way too expensive!”

“Your mom talked to mine,” Rudy clarified. “She said that she’s gonna use your allowance to pay for the food today.”

“B-But why? She never told me anything! I didn’t think she’d just steal my money!”

“Well… maybe you forgot, because she did a few weeks ago. Apparently, this is your punishment for not doing your chores.”

“What?! All my money’s gonna be gone because of some stupid Spanish food at some stupid restaurant? I can’t believe this! I must be the unluckiest cute girl in the world…”

“La comida española no es estúpida,” Ruby muttered. She added, “And, no, I don’t think you’re the unluckiest…”

“I think I might know what Lisa’s role in the club is,” Hyun-a bantered. “She’s the drama queen.”

Lisa mumbled, “...Well, at least I’m some sorta queen.”

“Hail Lisa, the queen of drama,” said Nagisa.

“Don’t escalate it!”

Everyone giggled together, and eventually, the Myers’ car finally came along.

Mrs. Myers rolled down the window and enthusiastically hollered, “Hey, everyone! How’re y’all holdin’ up?” 

“Oh, hi Mamá,” Ruby greeted, as Rudy decided to wave.

Colston stared at the car in awe. “I can’t believe I’m about to ride in a rich person’s car… it’s the future!”

Hyun-a chuckled, “You look like you’ve never seen a car before.”

“Only old peoples’ cars. I live in Branson, which is, like, way out in the country. I’ve never seen such a modern one before…” 

“All the way in Branson?” Alicia questioned, “But how do you get to school? That seems impossible!”

“I have to get up real early, and that’s why I’m just done with everything.”

“Oh.”

“Vamonos, everyone!” Mrs. Myers announced, “Come inside! There’s plenty of room!”

Everyone walked up to the car and took a seat, but Colston and Alicia stayed outside.

“U-Uh, are you sure we can all fit in there?” Alicia wondered, “Is there even enough room…?”

“Don’t worry chica, there’s plenty of room!” Mrs. Myers pointed to the backseat. “You can sit in the back there!”

“Uh, okay…” Alicia followed suit and sat in between Lisa and Nagisa, which wasn’t on purpose. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, though.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Myers…” Colston inquired, “But where was this car made? What type is it? How did you get it?”

“Well,” she replied, “It was made in Italy, and it’s actually a sports car! Only a few people have it, so we happened to be extra lucky with this baby. Maybe you can have it someday, chico.”

“R-Really? You mean it?”

“Well, when I turn into an abuela, I’m gonna be giving Rudy and Ruby a different kind of car, so I might as well give you this one. You seem pretty ambicioso over it, after all!”

“It really is the future…” 

Once everyone finally entered the car, Mrs. Myers stepped on the pedal and drove to their destination. Meanwhile, Alicia’s thought kept her busy, and not only because Nagisa was staring directly at her.

_ Okay, I might be sitting next to Nagisa, but this won’t be bad. That’s right, I just gotta have a nice conversation with them. I can do this… _

“Uh, n-nice day, huh?” 

No response.

“Uh… what’re you thinking about?”

No response.

“...We were able to talk before… why not now? Did I do something wrong?”

Nagisa blinked and finally replied, “No. Sorry, I was distracted.”

“O-Oh, it’s fine! It’s my fault I kept asking so many questions… I probably confused you…”

“I like your eyes. They’re purple.”

“Uh, thanks…!”

_ Huh? Didn’t they say this last time we met? _

“I like your eyes too! Uh,” Alicia muttered, “Blue eyes are really rare, and, uh… well, they’re neat.” Conversing with Nagisa would be the death of her. “Anyway… do you like the club?”

“...I can’t answer that.”

Alicia’s eyebrows rose in shock and confusion. “What? Why?”

“Hmm, it’s different. Very different.”

“Different? What do you mean…?” Alicia began to wonder if the stories she was told about Nagisa from the club members’ were fake.

“It’s just different. You are, too.”

“But how?”

“You changed a little. I didn’t think you would be here.”

“I mean, I guess you’re right…”

_ Nagisa’s talking a whole lot more now, too. _

“Hey, Nagisa, uh, what happened before you left?”

A stern look crept on Nagisa’s face. “Nothing. Nothing happened. Are you gonna judge me, too?”

“N-No, I’m not! I’m sorry for asking…”

Nagisa sighed. “Judging me is fine. I don’t care.” They repeated, muttering, “But nothing happened. If I said, then…”

“What?”

Nagisa’s face returned to its usual deadpan look, and they returned to staring out the window, averting their eye contact with Alicia entirely.

Alicia couldn’t even sense any tension between the two of them. Nagisa just seemed… upset, or sad. Something  _ did  _ happen, but it wasn’t something for Alicia to get into. All that mattered to her is that they got along. Nagisa wasn’t a monster, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be a bit intimidating at times. However, Alicia could live with that, in a way.

But it was an entirely different story for Ruby. She needed to know what happened, because she cared about Nagisa more than anyone else. Now that she’s thinking that this is too demanding of her, she’s completely lost. She strongly believed that she bothered Nagisa with her issues, and eventually, that applied to everyone else. She has to conceal it for the sake of the others.

After all, everything else mattered. Everyone else mattered. Rudy mattered. Nagisa mattered. 

She just didn’t matter. 

*****

Rudy stared at the restaurant before him with a blank face. “It’s closed.” At that moment, he experienced utter despair.

“Me and my stupid bad luck,” Ruby whined, “Now we can’t even go.” 

Colston looked downwards in grief. “My dreams of eating at a Spanish restaurant have been crushed…”

Ruby had the natural urge to cheer him up. “Uh, don’t worry, I’m sure we can find somewhere else to go! Just not this place.”

“Yeah, but I’m starving, and I feel like I’m gonna die. I’ve never felt like this before. This is what dying feels like, right?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“I think you haven’t felt like that before because you’re always eating,” Hyun-a remarked, “But that’s probably just me.”

Colston let out a sigh of slight disappointment. “At least it’s better than me going off about space crap for an hour. I’m dying in more ways than one.”

Min-Jun crossed his arms. “So, where to now, leader?” 

“Uh…” Rudy looked up to the sky in thought. “I don’t know, actually.”

“Well, leaders make decisions, so make all of them for us.”

“I’m not making all of them. But I seriously don’t know.” Rudy sighed, “I’m just gonna ask—“

“Don’t ask her.”

“She’s the co-leader, whether we like it or not.”

“No…”

“I sincerely apologize beforehand.” Rudy turned to Lisa and hesitantly asked, “Lisa, where do you wanna go?”

“Why, me? I’m glad you asked!” Lisa took a deep breath and spoke, “Well, first of all, I saw this really cool candy store the other day, and it’s around here! All the other restaurants in this area kinda suck, so we might as well go there! Ooh, and y’know what? There’s a Pizza House nearby, too! I know that Ruby would love that! Oh my god, and lemme try to remember… ah, there’s a cute boutique I found a few weeks ago, and I’ve always wanted to go for, like, ages! Let’s go there first! After that, we can go to the Pizza House!”

“...Holy shit,” Colston commented, “You talk more than I do with space.”

“Y’know, while trying to understand everything she just said,” Hyun-a quipped, “I just realized that her rambles always end in being fashion-related.”

“Nice observation,” Min-Jun stated, rolling his eyes.

Alicia nervously chuckled, “Hah, I didn’t think she was so passionate about that…”

“Okay…” Lisa questioned, “So, are we gonna go there, or not?”

Rudy wondered, “Wait, where?”

Lisa facepalmed and groaned. “The boutique…”

Nagisa glared at Lisa. “No.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“No. Pizza House.”

Ruby cheered, “We’re on the same wavelength, Nagi! Can we go there?”

“U-Uh,” Lisa stammered, struggling to find an excuse, “B-But I was thinking that—“ 

“Whatever you want, hija!” Mrs. Myers motioned for them to come inside the car. “We’re going to Pizza House! Vamonos!”

“...I guess the boutique can be for later.”

*****

The nine club members, along with Mrs. Myers, walked inside the restaurant as they looked around in awe.

Dennis gasped, “Ooh, this place looks fancy!” He pointed to one of the tables. “Heh, look, they have beer.”

“It’s not like you can even have any,” Min-Jun muttered.

“Ahah…” Rudy lightly chuckled, staring at the tables. “I don’t think we’ll all fit in one table. We gotta split up, or something.”

Ruby exclaimed, “Well, good thing barely anyone else is here!” She grabbed Nagisa’s hand. “C’mon, let’s sit together over here.”

“‘Kay.” Nagisa nodded their head and walked to a smaller table alongside Ruby.

Lisa glared at the two and bore a look of disdain. “It’s not fair…”

Hyun-a acknowledged this and teased, “What, you jealous or something?”

Lisa mumbled in response, “Of course I am. Why can’t I have a partner? Am I really that unlucky?”

“Come on, don’t be salty.” Hyun-a bore a rather questionable smile and giggled. “Sit with me! I can be your girlfriend!”

“No way. I’m sitting with Mrs. Myers.”

“Oh well, your loss.” Hyun-a sat down at a large table alongside Alicia, Colston and Dennis, as Lisa sat beside Mrs. Myers, and Rudy sat with Min-Jun.

“Lucky you, Aqua,” said Colston in a sarcastic manner, “You’re not only gonna be bombarded by five people, but nine more. Congratulations.”

Alicia replied, “Don’t worry, it’s not a big problem… I mean, it’s better than almost a thousand.” 

“True that.”

Dennis dramatically gasped, “Woah, Alicia, did you go to a club or something?! Without telling me?!”

“W-What?” Alicia stammered, “N-No! I was talking about the movie night thing…” Sometimes, she just couldn’t understand Dennis’ way of thinking.

“Oh, okay! ‘Cuz I was gonna say, if you went to a club and drank beer without me, that’d just be cruel, y’know!”

Colston cringed and glared at Dennis from across the table. “...What the hell? You’re not even close to being the legal age to drink beer.” 

“Exactly! Being scandalous makes you cool!”

“I don’t get you.”

“Hah, you’re a strange one…” Hyun-a reminded, “Oh, right, we gotta order.”

“Is Mrs. Myers even gonna remember to include us? Like, as a party or something?” Colston grabbed the menu and opened it up. “I mean, that’s how it works, right?”

“Well, she  _ did  _ pick us up pretty late…” Alicia added, “But I think she’ll remember.”

“Good. I just wanna eat my hamburgers for free.”

“But they don’t have hamburgers here,” Hyun-a said.

“...Well, shit.”

“Don’t worry, Coal!” Dennis stood up from his seat and declared, “I got you covered!” He looked over to the register and hollered, “Hey, you! Random workers over there! Make a ha—!”

Hyun-a tugged on his sleeve, forcing him to sit down with an intimidating smile. “Scratch everything that Dennis said. Just order some pizza, Colston.”

Colston nodded and looked downwards out of embarrassment. “Good idea.”

“I was about to help him,” Dennis complained, “And now these people are giving me weird looks.”

“Well,” Alicia stated, “That’s kinda your fault…” 

_ I’ve lost count of how many times this has happened… _

Meanwhile, Lisa continued to pout, while Mrs. Myers took a look through the menu. Noticing Lisa’s current mood, she put down the menu and questioned, “Hey, niña, what’s the matter? You should be happy! This is the Pizza House.”

“Nah.” Lisa laid her head on the table. “Ugh, I never thought my own best friend would already have a partner before me. This world is cruel.”

“Who is this best friend?”

“Ruby.”

“Oh, okay!” Mrs. Myers paused, “Wait… she has a…?” She continued, “Anyway, don’t worry, niña. Everyone finds love eventually. It’ll come to you soon.”

“I know, you’re right, but why not now?! I’ve spent ages trying to get a boyfriend, and I haven’t made any progress, like, at all!”

“Cálmese. Maybe some pizza will help you clear your mind.”

“Yeah, sure…”

Min-Jun stared at the menu and let out an exasperated sigh. “Pizza… that’s all there is. I don’t even like pizza that much. What am I supposed to eat?” He lost interest and sat his hand on his cheek. “Ugh, I’m just gonna have some water.”

“They also have some salad,” Rudy offered. He turned his menu around for Min-Jun to take a look. “See?”

“I hate salad.”

“...You should’ve said all of this before we got here.”

“I couldn’t.” Min-Jun looked at Rudy with sincerity. “You guys really wanted to go here. I wasn’t just gonna spoil that because I hate the food. That’s unfair.”

“Oh… that’s pretty thoughtful of you.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t shove it in my face.”

“But still, are you just gonna have some water, then? That’s barely anything.”

Min-Jun pointed at the menu’s drink section. “Hey, I mean, free refill. That ain’t too bad.”

“I guess you’re right.” Rudy put down his menu and softly smiled. “I’ll just have some water too, then.” 

Ruby was happy that everyone was having a great time, and now that she and Nagisa were by themselves, she could ask everything she needed to ask. She felt bad over what she was about to do, however. Bombarding Nagisa with questions only a day after they came back was not what she wanted to do, but she felt like it was necessary, in a way.

She began, “Hey, Nagi. So, uh, how’s it going?”

Nagisa replied with their usual nonchalant look. “I’m good. You?”

“Fine, I guess. Even better now that you’re here. It felt so weird without you, y’know!”

“Right.” Nagisa repeatedly nodded as Ruby spoke.

“So, uh, I’m sorry for asking so many questions, but what happened? Why did you leave?”

Nagisa gave her a glare, but eventually gave in and took a deep breath. “Bad stuff. I didn’t wanna come back.”

This shocked Ruby more than anything. “What kind of bad stuff? Did someone hurt you?”

“Kind of. But she was saying the truth.”

“‘She?’” Ruby blinked owlishly out of confusion. “But who...?” 

“It’s not important.” Nagisa noticed Ruby’s melancholic expression and stared at her. “Are you sad?”

“Yeah, a little. I’m just really worried. I know it’s none of my business, but that’s just how I am.” Ruby forced a smile and fakely chuckled, “I really hate that side of myself sometimes.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it, like I take care of Soba,” Nagisa reassured, cracking a smile.

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes. When I was gone, I realized something.”

Ruby curiously inquired, “Realized what?”

“You shouldn't worry about me. Not anymore. Do your own thing. Worry about pizza instead.”

“That’s gonna be hard to do…” Ruby held Nagisa’s hands and intertwined their fingers with her’s. “I just… I just really like you. It’s to the point where… I don’t even care if I’m not happy. I just want everyone else to be happy, especially you.”

Nagisa kept quiet and paid close attention to Ruby’s words. 

“...When I was younger, Dennis even said that I was ruining ‘his vibe.’ So, I’m probably ruining yours too, especially Rudy’s. But…”

“Worrying is normal. But for you, it’s bad right now. That’s what I think. And I don’t think you can solve everything.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t solve bad things. I asked my mom, she said nobody can solve everything. And she barely says nice things to me. But, that’s just what she said.”

“I know… that makes sense. I get that. But why is it just so hard to… stop worrying?”

“Have you told anyone?”

“Only you and Alicia.”

“Then talk to people about it more. I can’t do that, but you can. That’ll make you better. If not, then I don’t know. I’m trying.

“Okay… thanks, Nagi. I really appreciate it.” 

“No problem. I wanna eat now.”

Ruby giggled, “Yeah, me too. This pizza ain’t gonna eat itself! I’m gonna order all the pizza they have here!”

“Are you happy now?”

“A little, yeah! I bet I’ll feel even better thanks to this pizza. Hey, I’ll order a ton, and I’ll share ‘em with you!”

Nagisa’s smile widened. “That’s good.” 

*****

Once they were done eating, everyone exited the restaurant and stood beside Mrs. Myers’ car.

“Okay,” Colston declared, “That was the best pizza I ever tasted in my entire life. I’m gonna go there everyday.”

“Will you even have enough money for that?” asked Min-Jun. “For real, that food is expensive.”

“Lisa won’t have enough money for anything now,” Dennis teased, nudging Lisa’s shoulder. “That’s too bad~. And here she was saving up her money to buy new outfits. Crazy, am I right?”

Lisa furrowed her eyebrows at him and grumbled. “You may not know this, but I’m about to lose it.” 

Dennis smirked. “Lose what?”

“I can’t believe you…”

“Calm down,” Hyun-a urged. “Just look on the bright side. At least you can force your mom to give you more money.”

“I don’t think her mom would like that,” Rudy commented.

“What do you mean?” Hyun-a shrugged her shoulders, “It’s an act of generosity. Surely her mom would be up for it, right?”

“I don’t know…” Rudy sighed, “Lisa, I’ll give you some of my money on Monday.”

Lisa gasped in delight, “Oh my god, really?!”

“Yeah, of course.” An intimidating smile was plastered on Rudy’s face. “Just don’t use it for hair clips you won’t need. It’s my mom’s money.”

“U-Uh, okay.”

“Anyway…” Alicia inquired, “Rudy, what time is it?”

“Oh.” Rudy took out his phone and checked the time. “It’s almost six.”

“Dang, it’s that late already?” Min-Jun crossed his arms. “I bet we just wasted a bunch of time, then…”

Mrs. Myers informed, “We left the house at around three, but we had to drive to Pizza House since the other restaurant was closed. We also spent alotta time here, so that’d explain it, chico.”

“So what are we supposed to do, now? Places are gonna be closing, probably.”

Ruby excitedly piped, “We just gotta make the most of it! We still have some time left before we gotta go, so… Alicia, what do you think?”

Alicia jumped and confusedly glared. “Huh? Why me…?” 

“You  _ are _ our new member, aren’t ya? It’s only fair that you get to pick!”

“Uh, well…” Alicia figured that they wouldn’t like her suggestion, but she might as well say it anyway. It’s not like anyone else knew where to go, anyway. “Maybe we can go to the library.”

“Really?” Lisa complained (because this was a common thing for her now), “That’s super boring. I bet there aren’t even any cool books…”

Hyun-a gave too much of a desperate attempt to convince Lisa to be on board. “There should be something. Just check out all the books in the library and see which ones you like. It’ll be fun, right Alicia?” She nudged Alicia’s shoulder and gave a grin.

“Uh, yeah, I guess…” Alicia didn’t even know what was going on, but if it meant that everyone was on board to go to the library, then that was great. 

Min-Jun crossed his arms and averted his eyes. “Can’t we just, like, simplify this? Like, can we do a ‘raise your hand’ sorta thing?” Sure, it looked like he didn’t care, but he really just wanted to keep hanging out with the club for a little while longer as soon as possible.

Rudy firmly nodded. “Good idea. All in favor of going to the library, raise your hand.”

Everyone but Lisa and Dennis raised their hand.

“Well, I guess we’re going,” Rudy confirmed.

Lisa faked a smile and weakly cheered, “Yay…”

Dennis took this as an opportunity to tease her. “Don’t worry, Pink Girl! They have plenty of second grade-level books there!”

Lisa raised her eyebrow. Finally processing what he had said, she glared with a baffled expression. “W-What?! My reading isn’t second grade-level…!”

“Oh, really? I totally thought so.”

After concluding their session of staring off into space, Nagisa caught onto the conversation and remarked, “It’s true.”

“No, it’s not!” Lisa’s clearly terrible at defending herself.

“I wouldn’t even be surprised,” Min-Jun commented with a smug look, still averting his eyes. “It’d be even funnier if your reading level was a kindergartener’s.”

“T-That’s just impossible! I’m, like, super good at reading! I bet your reading level is low!”

“Proof?”

“Uh…”

“Lisa.” Rudy suppressed his wrath and firmly stated, “We’re going to the library. Please stop making fun of each other.”

Lisa groaned and huffed. “...Fine.”

Colston just stood in place and observed the situation, wide-eyes. “Dang Hyun-a, you’re quite the influence.”

Hyun-a nervously giggled, “Hah, you think so…?”

Mrs. Myers announced from the car, “Nah, he’s turning into me, niños! You might not believe it, but I actually have two personalities. Mysterious, right?”

Ruby chuckled, “Uh, yeah, I guess.”

*****

Once they finally arrived at the library, the gang gathered a few books and sat down at a table.

Alicia closed her eyes and sighed. “Ahh, it feels so relaxing in here. I could be here all day.”

“I can see why you like the library so much,” said Rudy. “I need to start coming here more often.”

“I’m surprised that you’ve barely gone.” Hyun-a then looked to her side and stared at the enormous stack of books Colston had stocked up on. “And, uh, Colston, why so many…?”

“This place is my heaven. I might as well check out some extra space books while I’m here,” Colston replied.

“Well, at least you’re still passionate about it.”

“Ugh, this is so boring…” Lisa groaned and laid her head on the desk. “I wanna go to that boutique…”

“C’mon, quit complaining.” Min-Jun cringed, “And what do you even expect from there, anyway?”

Asking that question was his biggest mistake.

Once again, Lisa took a deep breath and prepared to make her speech, lifting her head up. “Well, tons of cute new ribbons, obviously! I actually have a huge collection at home, so going there would be awesome! Ooh, plus, imagine all the cute rings there’ll be! Maybe some jewelry, too! If I can get some of that, all I gotta do is show ‘em off to a boy, and I’ll finally grab their attention! My days of being unpopular will be no more!”

Min-Jun rolled his eyes. “...Rudy, what do you think?”

“We’re probably gonna have to go another day. It’s getting late,” Rudy replied. “Sorry, Lisa.”

Lisa whined, “Aww man. At least we’re going later on.”

“But, uh… maybe you should just go by yourself tomorrow. I mean, nobody else wants to go.”

“Man, you guys are no fun. Guess I’ll just do that, then.”

“Can we talk about how boring this is?” Dennis exclaimed, “I wanna go to that pizza place with the ugly-looking mouse as a logo!”

“...I can’t believe you actually took my idea,” Colston remarked.

Alicia lightly chuckled with a smile on her face. “Normally I’d just go to this library by myself all the time, but I feel like with you guys, we can share our thoughts together. That’s why I wanted to come here.”

“They have books on the ocean. I like this place,” Nagisa stated. “Maybe there’s more.”

“You like ocean life?”

_ Maybe I can start a conversation with them… I’m gonna give it a try. _

“I’m sure they have plenty,” Alicia added. “I-I actually really like those kinds of books, too.”

Nagisa blinked and looked straight at Alicia. “Cool.”

“Uh… what’s your favorite kind of fish?”

“Red seabream. That’s Soba.”

“Oh, you have a fish? Do you have any more?”

“Twenty. I love them a lot.”

“W-Woah, that’s a lot of fish.”

_ They seem like a normal person who just really likes the ocean. I’m even more confused than before. They can be scary sometimes, but I don’t see why they’re bullied so much… _

“Oh, that reminds me…” Ruby grabbed a book from the table and handed it to Nagisa. “I found this book that you might like. Here you go!”

“Thanks.” Nagisa opened it up and scanned the pages. “Hmm, it’s long. But I can finish it.”

“I hope you end up liking it.”

Alicia observed with a smile. 

_ It looks like Ruby’s a lot happier now. She’s having a lot of fun, too. Maybe it’s because Nagisa is here… I’m glad. But at the same time… I don’t know why, but something still feels off. _

Min-Jun asked, “Hey, uh, Nagi? It’s not like I care, but are you used to reading books like that? It’s freakishly long.”

Nagisa looked up and replied, “I read fast. Only for things like this.”

“Ohhhh…” 

At that moment, he was waiting for either Hyun-a or Dennis to tease him, or at least say something. Out of curiosity, Min-Jun questioned, “...Hyun-a, you there—?”

To not only his, but everyone’s surprise, Hyun-a and Dennis were fast asleep. But it was expected for Lisa, so that didn’t matter.

Rudy sighed and facepalmed, muttering, “And here I thought Hyun-a wanted to come here really badly.”

*****

Their day was seemingly over, and everyone returned to the car, waiting to be dropped off at each of their homes. Alicia read a book she had brought with her from the library, but eventually became lost in thought.

_ Today was a lot of fun. I wonder if it’s gonna be like this with the club all the time. I didn’t even feel that nervous or anything, either. I’m a little surprised. I actually don’t wanna go home yet… _

Min-Jun didn’t want to leave as much as Alicia did. He didn’t even know what they could do, but he wanted to try. Since Hyun-a was sleeping beside him, he took the initiative to ask Colston. “Uh, you there?”

Colston looked towards Min-Jun and nodded. “Yeah, just reflecting my life decisions. What’s up?”

“I was wondering… I know it’s night-time and all, but I wanna go to at least one more place with everyone else. Do you have any ideas?”

“Hmm, well, all I really do at night is go stargazing. I don’t think anyone would wanna do that, though.”

“Y’know, you keep saying that. And you always keep apologizing when you talk about space stuff. What gives?”

Colston looked out the window. “It’s not like anyone else likes it, anyway. There’s no point in talking about it.”

“...You do realize that you can still talk about it, right? That’s literally what this club is about. Heck, you can talk about whatever and you won’t be made fun of for it. So what’s the problem?”

“I dunno. It’s gonna bother you guys anyway, so whatever. And it’s not like all this space stuff even matters.”

“Not everyone likes what you like, dude. You can still talk about it, y’know. I’m being a huge hypocrite right now, but you get what I mean?”

“You? A hypocrite?”

“...I still have a lot of things I don’t wanna mention around them, but that’s only because they’re weird magic stuff. Liking space is normal.”

“So, are you technically calling yourself a special kid?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Colston rolled his eyes and sarcastically added, “Wooow, I can’t believe it. That one yellow kid is better than all of us. Not only that, but he’s special? What a plot twist. Who knows, maybe he’ll grow wings next.”

“J-Just tell everyone else you wanna go stargazing.”

Colston dropped the act and smiled. “Yeah, yeah, I will.” He then announced, “Hey, Mrs. Myers. Before we leave, can we go to that one stargazing field?”

“Oh, I know what you’re talking about.” Mrs. Myers wondered, “But why, chico?”

“I just think it’ll be fun.”

“Alrighty! Does everyone else wanna go?”

“Oh, stargazing?” Rudy nodded. “Yeah, sure. It sounds fun.”

Ruby chimed in, “Good idea, Colston! Yeah, I wanna go!”

The others nodded in agreement. Dennis hollered, “Hey, can we get some extra food on the way? Like, some carrot cake or something?”

Min-Jun mumbled, “That food again…?”

“But, like, how are we even gonna be able to see the stars properly without a telescope?” Lisa shrugged and exasperated, “Wouldn’t there be no point?”

“We might not have a telescope, but…” Colston explained, “I still really wanna go with you guys. It’ll still look really nice. We can just relax and look at the sky or something.”

“I guess you’re right.” Lisa excitedly piped, “Believe it or not, I actually used to really like that sorta stuff! Back in Japan, Nagisa and I loved to go stargazing during our sleepovers.”

“Oh, I didn’t know that. Neat. What’s your favorite constellation?”

“Leo, of course!”

“Mine is Perseus, and it’s named after someone in Greek mythology. Did you know that its quadrant is NQ1, and that there are nineteen main stars? I normally don’t really focus on this too much, but its brightest star is the Mirfak, which is one hundred-sixty light years away from the Sun. Isn’t that neat?”

“I have no idea what you just said, but it sounds cool!”

“It is cool, isn’t it?”

_ I guess I have more in common with these people than I thought.  _

The two of them continued nerding out over space, up until they all arrived at a stargazing spot. It wasn’t too popular, so luckily, they were the only people there, and had the entire field to themselves. 

“Woah, it’s so pretty!” Ruby ran outside and grabbed Nagisa’s hand. “C’mon, over here!”

Nagisa nodded and smiled, and went along with her.

“Heehee…” Dennis stealthily walked behind Min-Jun and tapped his shoulder. “Tag, you’re it!” 

Min-Jun immediately turned around at the sudden gesture. “Wait, what? What are you doing?”

“Playing tag, obviously! How could we not? This place is huge!”

Min-Jun shook his head. “I’m not playing a little kid’s game. Play with someone else.”

“C’mon, please~?”

“No.”

“Please?”

“No.”

“Please—?”

Min-Jun tapped his shoulder back, and hastily ran away. “You’re it.”

Dennis snickered, “Hah, I like the way you play, Yellow Guy. But I'm not letting you off the hook that easily!” He sprinted towards Min-Jun and began to chase after him. “Come over here!”

Lisa finally exited the car and shouted, “Hey, wait for me! These shoes aren’t made for running!”

Hyun-a giggled and stood beside Colston, Rudy and Alicia. “They’re all such little kids.” 

“Hey, you’re only allowed to say that since you’re older than all of us,” Colston joshed, “But once someone older than you joins, your privileges are gone.” 

“Oh, I can live with that. But y’know what’s funny? Past me would’ve meant that as an insult.”

“Yeah, totally.”

“I can agree with that,” Rudy chimed in. “But you were still a good person. I remember I was a bit nervous around you, but that’s changed.” He stared off into the night sky. “A lot of things have changed.”

Colston questioned, “Are you one of those people who stare off into the distance and act all philosophical?”

“Maybe.”

“He’s right though,” said Hyun-a. “Rudy was literally the shyest person in the world.”

Rudy added, “Yeah, and I wasn’t doing so good…”

“Why not? It was cute!”

“I was so negative. I don’t even know how you guys could even bear with that. Not even I can, right now.”

Hyun-a chuckled and let out a sigh of contentment. “Well, good thing you haven’t changed into a degenerate yet.”

“‘Yet…?’”

Alicia looked over to the trio, and figured that she might as well converse with them and add onto the conversation. “Uh, I was actually really scared of the concept of clubs and all that, but it actually isn’t that bad. I was able to meet you guys, and I had a lot of fun today.” 

“Same here,” Colston replied. “Like, damn, I’ve even noticed that I’m not as miserable as I used to be. Hyun-a would know for sure.”

“That’s right.” Hyun-a added, “But don’t go acting all miserable again on Monday.”

“We’ll see.”

“I kinda used to be like that too. I kept doubting myself all the time.” Rudy lightly chuckled, “Looking back on that, it was kind of stupid. But…” He then stood before them and bore a sincere expression. “I’m just curious. Do I seem like a leader to all of you?”

“Hmm…” Hyun-a scratched her head, “Well, you’re not a perfect leader, but you’re not a bad one, either. I think you’re good.”

“Really?”

Hyun-a firmly nodded. “Of course! I mean it.”

“I think you’re pretty dependable,” Alicia stated, “So yeah. I know I haven’t known you for that long, but… you seem like a good leader to me.”

Colston assured, “Yeah, like they said. You’re high-tier leader material.” 

“Gee, thanks...” Rudy gazed down, his face completely red. “Uh… I didn’t think you guys thought about me like that…”

Hyun-a giggled at his cuteness and grinned. “Of course we do, General!” 

Rudy looked upwards and stared confusedly. “Huh? ‘General?’”

“Where did that come from?” Colston raised his eyebrow and nudged Hyun-a’s arm.

Hyun-a clarified, “I’m tryna be creative with the nicknames! What do you think?”

“It’s terrible.”

“...Well, guess I’m gonna call you ‘Coal’ from now on.”

“Yeah, time for me to get used to that. Again.”

Alicia smiles at the trio. “You guys are funny. It kind of reminds me of Dennis.” 

“Wait, you actually find his jokes funny?” Colston playfully rolled his eyes. “Woah, that’s a first.”

“I mean, sometimes I don’t get them, but… he still cheered me up a lot around the first time we met, and he still does. It’s actually thanks to him I’m even here.”

“Well, we’re glad to have you with us.” Rudy looked up to the sky once again. “I was actually really glad you decided to join the club yesterday. I know it didn’t really show, but I guess it was just the realization process.”

“Hah, I get that.”

“Nine members… that sounds good. It’s not too many, but it’s not like there’s barely any people, either. I never thought that we’d even get close to having more than at least six.”

Hyun-a took the opportunity to lighten up the serious mood and tease him. “Mhm, and you have everyone else to thank for that, don’t ya? So you don’t have the excuse of being conceited.” 

Rudy nodded. “Yeah, of course. Without any of you guys, I… I probably would’ve given up a long time ago.”

The quartet sat down on the grass and admired the scenery, as the remaining club members continued to play around in the field.

It’s moments like these that prove that everything will work out in the end, no matter what.

They always will. Everything will be fine.

It’ll be fine…

It’ll be fine…

Will it be fine? 

Ruby continued to ask herself the same question. And so did Kieron. 


	28. Perseus -Our Next Move- (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Through a sudden increase of rumors, Colston comes across a mysterious boy belonging to the Art History Club and investigates the situation.

Arriving home from school, Colston immediately laid down in his bed and stared at the ceiling.

_ Nobody had a problem with going stargazing the other day. Damn, I totally could’ve asked them sooner. But… I feel relieved. Everyone there really is interesting. They’re also more accepting than I thought they’d be. Especially with Nagisa… Lisa… Hyun-a… and just about anyone. Thank god. _

For once, he finally felt like he found a place where he belonged. He could be open around the Anime Club, without having to worry about being judged. He knew that was the purpose, he just needed to see it in action. For all he knew, at the very start, they could’ve judged him and acted rude since he joined fairly late. 

But maybe there’s no such thing as being late. He could still be a part of the memories. Somehow.

_ Hmm, maybe I should give something to them as thanks. I mean, Christmas is in three weeks. I could probably find some gifts for everyone. I just hope I’ll have enough money. I’m gonna ask Papa. _

He rapidly got up from his bed and felt a pang of dizziness.

_ Ugh… too fast… I need to take it easy. Not just for that, either. I wish I could run for once… _

Slowly exiting his room, he made his way to the kitchen, and was greeted by the sight of his father preparing dinner. It looked like he was making some pie.

Colston stood by the counter. “Papa? Why’re making dinner so early?”

“Well,” he cleared his throat, “I’m not gonna be here tonight. I have another late shift, so I’m making dinner earlier.”

Not only was Colston’s father a good cook and hardworking man, but he was a prize-winner. Known as Bradford Relish, he’s won multiple cooking competitions across the state, and is very well-known and popular. He also works at a doctor’s office, which means extra pay. Therefore, Colston’s family was fairly wealthy, and had acquired many blessings.

So why, you ask, was Colston down in the dumps so often? 

“Papa, is that a blackberry pie?” 

Bradford’s eyes widened, and he solemnly looked down. “Yes.”

“Oh…” Colston sighed, “Y’know, that was Mommy’s favorite recipe.” He lightly chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood, “She’d be proud of you for actually getting it right.”

“I know. I don’t have a choice but to cook, so I guess that’s how I got better at it.” 

“Your cooking is still good, though. It’s better than how Granny’s used to be.”

“You think so? I’m glad, then.”

“Yeah…”

The mood they had going dropped once again, as Colston laid his head on the table out of melancholy. 

Bradford felt bad for the kid, more than anything. “So, how was school?”

“...It was good. Ruby helped me with a sports thing we were supposed to do in P.E. today.”

“That’s good. Does she know that…?”

“Yeah, she knows. I told her this morning. That’s why she helped me. I’m surprised that nobody else has noticed, though. I mean, I’ve never really had the best stamina, so I just gotta sit out and stuff.”

“At least you're still having fun in that club of yours, correct?”

“Of course, yeah. I mean, the Astronomy Club still ain’t havin’ any luck anytime soon, but I’m still tryin’.”

“Good.” Bradford ordered, “Don’t let that Nita girl bring you down. I don’t like her.”

“I know…”

“She just… really messed you up. Is she still bothering you?”

Colston scratched his head. “Well, uh, no, actually. I haven’t talked to her or even seen her in ages.”

“Well, if she ever approaches you, you gotta be stronger than her. Don’t let her get to you, or I’m gonna mess her up.”

“Alright, alright… don’t do anything that’s gonna get me expelled.”

“I won’t, for now.”

“‘Kay…” Colston got up from his seat, but stopped himself before he could make it back to his room. “Oh, and, Papa, can I borrow some of your money?”

“Why?”

“I wanna buy some stuff for my friends. Y’know, like Christmas presents and all that crap. Is that okay?”

“Sure, but how much do you need?”

“Hmmmm… a hundred?”

“...Alright, just don’t spend it on anything extra.”

Colston smiled. “Thanks, Papa. Tell me when the pie’s done.” He returned to his room, and yet again laid down on his bed out of boredom, grabbing his phone while he was at it.

_ This club gig is gonna get better, now that we have a new person. I just feel like it is. Maybe I could also help them find new people, like how Dennis recruited Alicia. Might as well give it a shot. _

He turned on his phone and pulled up his favorite shopping app straight away.

_ I’m gonna make a list for the kinda stuff everyone likes. Hmm… Hyun-a and Alicia like writing, so… _

*****

After an insanely boring school day, class was finally dismissed, and Colston sighed out of relief.

_ Finally, I can keep working on that list thing. I can go to the club after that. If I work on it there, someone’s gonna peep at my phone and find out. Dennis would totally do that, obviously… _

It’s not like he didn’t enjoy science. It’s always been his favorite subject, after all. But of course, he prefers to eat a lot during his other classes because he’s easily prone to falling asleep in the middle of them. He needs the energy. Therefore, his backpack is filled with bags of chips and cookies, because his lunchbox can’t fit them all.

_...Damn, some food sounds real good right about now. I’m starving. When was lunch, again…? Three hours ago? Feels like ten. I’d love a hamburger right about now. _

Interrupting his train of thought, out of nowhere, Alicia made her way to him and tapped on his desk.

“Uh, Colston?” Alicia stood by his desk as her eyes darted across the room, checking to see if anyone was watching.

Colston turned around in his seat. “Yeah, what’s up?”

_ Man, I wanted to keep thinking about food. _

“Uh, well…” Alicia bent down to Colston’s level. “Have you heard about the rumor that’s going around?”

“A rumor? What rumor?”

Alicia took a deep breath in preparation to explain. “It’s not about you, I swear. It’s just… it’s not like I believe it, but it’s just something I heard.”

“Go ahead.”

“Okay, so…” Alicia whispered with somewhat of a serious tone, “People are saying that there’s this kid named Kieron, and apparently, he killed someone in third grade.”

Colston raised his eyebrow out of confusion. “What…?”

“I know it sounds weird, but… people are saying it’s because someone from third grade died a long time ago, and Kieron was the only person who knew them.”

“Oh.” Colston definitely wasn’t expecting this. “What grade is Kieron in?”

“He’s in the same grade as Hyun-a, so, ninth.”

“Hmm… that’s weird.” He wanted to ask why Hyun-a didn’t say anything about this rumor anytime sooner, but extra questions would make the mystery even weirder than it already was.

“L-Like I said, I don’t believe the rumor! I mean, I don’t even know who this guy is, and I don’t think anyone would do such a thing, so, uh… I was gonna ask him about it, but I guess I’m not really used to speaking to ninth graders other than Hyun-a. So… can you?”

“Sure, sure. It ain’t a problem. Besides, I doubt that he actually killed anyone. That’s just bullshit.”

“Yeah… I’m glad we’re on the same page. Since he’s in high school, he’ll probably be upstairs, I don’t know. I just hope he actually isn’t bad.”

“He probably won’t be.” Colston got up from his seat. “Hey, most of the rumors ‘round here are stupid as hell, so I doubt it’ll be true. Like, Nagisa isn’t what everyone thinks they are.”

“That’s true... It took me a while to figure that out.”

“Well, anyway, I’m gonna go upstairs, then.”

“Oh, okay.” Alicia walked back to her seat. “I gotta clean this desk… anyway, see you later.”

“Later.” Colston exited the classroom and walked into the hallway.

Even though he didn’t even know this Kieron kid, he knew for a fact that he wasn’t a murderer. That was just impossible. If he actually was, then an investigation would’ve been held, and he would’ve gone to juvie a long time ago. Although this was a serious matter, all that mattered to Colston is that he stays positive about this, because who knows; as soon as he claims that Kieron is a murderer, he actually  _ is  _ one. However, Colston was more than used to dealing with the topic of death, so this wasn’t much of a problem to him.

Wait, what?

The more he thought about it, if Kieron was truly a murderer, then that would mean that everyone in the entire school was at risk. But no, Colston wouldn’t let that happen. He’d even give up his life for anyone at this school, even if they didn’t even know his name. Especially his father and the Anime Club. 

_ A killer in high school, huh? Sounds like one of those drama TV shows for edgy teens… edgy teens… that’d cater to me, without a doubt. _

He went upstairs and began searching for Kieron. It might’ve sounded weird, but he had to think like Nagisa would. It’s not like he had any rumors going around about him (to his knowledge), but Nagisa has had to bear with such a thing for years. So, the question was: If a kid has false rumors being spread about them, where would they go?

Or rather, where would they hide?

_ The corner of a hallway? Well, no… a cursed classroom? I mean, only the Anime Club’s room is known for that… Hmm… and high schoolers don’t hide in lockers, so… maybe an empty clubroom. _

Colston glanced at the door labels and made sure to pay attention to the sounds of people’s voices. If a room has multiple people once classes are dismissed, then it’s sure to be noisy. To Colston’s contentment, he easily found a quiet clubroom located a few doors away from the Anime Club. 

Entering the room, he spotted a boy who appeared to be cleaning up, muttering to himself out of frustration.

“This doesn’t look good. Since when was this here?” The boy wiped the sweat off his forehead. “This won’t do. It needs to look perfect. I have to clean out these drawers by tomorrow.”

Colston greeted, “Uh, hello?” 

“...Oh…?” The boy turned around with a look of surprise. “...I didn’t know you were there. You alarmed me. Next time, tell me when you’re arriving.”

“Sorry dude, but I don’t even—“

“Ah, sorry, I don’t even know who you are. What’s your name?”

“Colston. What’s yours?”

“I don’t need to tell you that.” He mumbled, “If you found out, you’d just leave, anyway.”

“...You’re Kieron, aren’t ya?”

“U-Uh—“ His eyes widened as he looked downwards. He then gained his composure and sighed. “...You’re right. I’m Kieron. But why would you ask that? Besides, everyone knows who I am.”

“Well, not everyone, but I just wanted to chat with ya. Like, I dunno, I’ve only heard about you just now.”

“...It’s the rumors, isn’t it?” Kieron sat down at the table and rubbed his forehead. “Ugh, I knew it. They’re resurfacing again.” He turned to Colston with a seemingly emotionless expression, which hid his frustration. “You. Are you curious?”

“Yeah, kinda. My friend Alicia told me about the rumor, but it’s not like we believe it or anything. I just wanted to know what you think about it and all that crap.” Colston sat beside him. “There’s no way that it’s true, right?”

Kieron shook his head. “Of course not. It’s false. And I’ll admit that I haven’t come across anyone like you before. I’m relieved. If you were just like anyone else out there, you would most likely report me to the authorities.”

“Not everyone’s like that.”

“I guess I’ve been proven wrong.”

“So… dude, before we start, do you have any snacks here?”

“Yes. There’s some in my lunchbox. Why?”

“...Can I have some?”

Kieron blinked. “Sure, why not.” He went to his lunchbox and opened it up, grabbing three bags filled with gummy bears. He returned to his seat and handed two bags over to Colston. “Have these. I’m giving you two, since I recently had a snack.”

“Thanks.” Colston lightly chuckled, “You don’t really seem like the kinda person to eat gummy bears…”

“What?”

“Nothin’.” Colston began, “Anyway… what’s the deal with these rumors?”

Kieron kept his deadpan expression, as if discussing such a thing meant nothing to him. “They began three years ago. I’ve had to deal with them ever since then. At first, I was glossing over it like a maniac, but two years later, it became the norm for me. I don’t care about them as much as I used to anymore. Besides, I have more important things to think about, like cleaning and making sure this room is spotless.”

“What  _ is  _ this room for, anyway? It didn’t have a label.”

“Before these rumors began, I started an Art History club, but once people started hating me, the members left, and I eventually became the only person here. But once the rumors disappear, this clubroom will look perfect, and people will be flooding in. I’m sure of it.”

“Ohh… but, wait a minute, you said that the rumors were ‘resurfacing’ earlier. Do you mean…?”

“Yes. For a few weeks, they seemed to disappear, which was a miracle. But after someone from the Debate Club ‘exposed’ me again, the rumor broke out. That happened not too long ago.”

“So  _ that’s  _ why I haven’t heard about it ‘till now. And, y’know, nobody else in the Anime Club knew, either.”

“The Anime Club? The kids who hang around in the cursed classroom?”

Colston chuckled, “Yeah, that’s them. I’m a part of the club, too.”

“Interesting. I hope everyone there is like you and your friend.”

“They are. They’d definitely invite you to the club without judging you. They’re…  _ we’re  _ not like that.”

“I see.” Kieron nodded. “That’s good. I hope it’s fun for you.”

“It really is.”

“Anyway, is there anything else you’d like to know?”

“Well…” Colston ran his hand through his hair. “How close were you to the kid in third grade? Like, y’know, the kid who died.”

Dropping his emotionless expression, a frown crossed Kieron’s face. “...Very close. She was my girlfriend’s little sister. I would do anything for both of them, but…”

“What happened to your girlfriend?”

“...She died, too. It was in a car accident. But her little sister was murdered by someone within the school’s premises, and we still don’t know who. I wish I could avenge her, but I would never hurt anyone. I have no intention of doing that.”

“That really sucks…” 

Colston felt terrible for this guy. He didn’t expect things to be this way whatsoever. But life truly was unfair. Kieron even seemed like an interesting and nice guy, just like Nagisa, and yet, he’s had to deal with these false rumors for three whole years while experiencing grief.

However, Colston knew how he felt.

“Y’know,” Colston added, “A lot of people close to me have died, too. So you’re not the only one. I know how you feel. I mean, your situation is obviously worse than mine, but still.”

“I understand.” Kieron looked up at the ceiling. “I just wish that things weren’t like this. I want to live a normal life and run the Art History Club. But perhaps that’s too much to ask for.”

“I don’t think it is. I mean, it’s just your dream.” Colston sarcastically added, “But any kind of dream just sucks in the grand scheme of things, so we might as well just give up on them. I totally hate space sooo much.”

Kieron looked towards Colston and curiously inquired, “Are you into astronomy?”

“A whole lot, yeah. It’s basically my life. Since I’m not bothering anyone with it, it’s fun to just go on about it.”

“That’s good. I’m more of an ancient history person.” Kieron shrugged. “However, not too many people are a fan of that, and I can’t even make friends anyway, so…”

“Hmm…”

In a way, Colston felt like he was seeing a bit of his past self in Kieron, and this made him want to help even more. Maybe it was fate.

“How can I help?”

Kieron confusedly glared at Colston. “Help…? Why?”

“You need some of it.”

_ I know my past self would need some, too. _

“...You barely even know me, yet you’re offering to help me.” Kieron cracked a smile. “This feels like a dream, but I don’t wanna wake up from it.”

“Don’t worry, it ain’t a dream. So, how can I help?”

“Let’s see…” Kieron reverted to his usual expression. “I got into a fight with some kids the other day. It wasn’t even my fault, since they lashed out at me, but I still want to apologize for even getting involved in their business. They were talking about me behind my back, and I was curious. I didn’t want it to turn out a different way.”

“Oh, I get it.” Colston nodded whilst crumbling up the empty bag of gummy bears, and left his seat. “Alright dude, so where are these kids you’re talkin’ about?”

“The two of them always hang around the locker area to the right, near the large window. They’re most likely still there.”

“So, do you want me to apologize to them for you, or…?”

“Please do.” Kieron ducked his head in embarrassment. “As much as I want to apologize… I’m not good at talking to people.”

“Oh, okay. That’s fine. I’ll just do the talkin’.” 

Kieron got up from his seat. “Okay. Let’s go, then.” He led Colston out of the clubroom and towards the very right of the locker area. 

Colston thought,  _ These kids better not be extreme. If they are, then I’m out. _

He stopped himself right then and there.

_ No, wait… I can’t be thinking like that. I want to help Kieron. It’ll be fine, anyway. All I gotta do is talk to them and say that Kieron is sorry. What’s the worst that could happen? Like, what, is the world gonna end? _

They both spotted the two kids who Kieron got into drama with; one being Derick, and the other named Leonida.

Colston immediately confronted them and greeted, “Hi.”

“Huh?” Derick turned around and cringed at the sight of Kieron right before him, totally ignoring that Colston was there. He nudged Leonida’s shoulder and whispered, “Hey, it’s him again.”

“Ugh,” Leonida groaned, rolling her eyes. She gave Kieron a glare and asked, “What is it now? Aren’t you tired of getting into other people’s business?”

“No…” Kieron looked towards Colston and whispered, “Can you take care of this? Please?”

“Yeah, I can.” Colston cleared his throat and waved. “Anyway, uh, hi guys. I’m the one who approached y’all. Please don’t ignore me.”

“Oh, I didn’t even know you were there.” Leonida bore a smug look and scoffed, “And I don’t even know who you are. Why would I wanna talk to you?”

“I mean, you don’t really have to, honestly. And you’re talking to me right now, so you’re wasting your time.”

“Hmph.” Leonida shrugged. “Whatever. Derick and I were kinda busy. What is it?”

“Well, Kieron wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. He felt bad.” 

Derick burst into laughter along with Leonida. “Kieron? Feeling bad? Apologizing? That’s the funniest shit I’ve ever heard!” He eventually stopped laughing and crossed his arms. “Seriously, why would a murderer do something like that?”

“He isn’t a murderer. He’d never kill someone.” Colston added, “Someone  _ else  _ killed that girl in third grade. It wasn’t him.”

“Do you have proof?”

“...No, but Kieron told me—“

“Just believing what anyone says is kinda dumb. You probably don’t even know him that much, either. Hell, he could be lying. Have you ever thought of that?”

Colston shook his head. “...No.” He looked at Kieron, who was facing the opposite direction. “But… I still believe him.” Colston firmly nodded at the two. “Even though there ain’t any proof, I wanna believe him. If you have a problem with that, then that’s just you.”

“It’s not just us,” Leonida remarked, “It’s literally everyone in this entire school. And you’d have to be pretty dumb to believe he didn’t kill that little girl.”

Colston attempted to stay cool, but at this point, he was starting to get a little frustrated for the first time in a while. 

He definitely felt like saying the things he used to say about himself to these two arrogant kids, but he knew it was wrong. So instead, he tried having a bit of a lighter approach to the issue.

“...Maybe you’re just accusing him because you were the ones who did it.”

“Excuse me?!” Derick bellowed, “Are you accusing us? Is something wrong with your brain?!”

“There’s no way we’d do something like that! You gotta be insane!” Leonida furrowed her eyebrows. “I can’t believe you…”

Colston mentally facepalmed. “Well, what if the rumors were being aimed at you two? If that were the case, then you’d be defending yourselves the same way you are right now. That’s basically how Kieron used to feel, but now, he’s so used to it, he doesn’t even care anymore. But he’s hurting.”

“Oh, boo-hoo, how sad, the murderer is actually hurting inside.” Leonida added, “And, y’know, we’re actually pretty nice people. It’s all thanks to Kieron and all those other kids who are lost causes that we’re like this. We’re just being extra cautious of terrible people like them.  _ Especially  _ Nagisa…”

Oh,  _ now  _ Colston was more than pissed off.

“Don’t talk about Nagisa like that. Don’t talk about anyone like that. That just makes you…”

At that moment, all the thoughts from his past came flooding in.

_ Stupid… dumb… idiotic… shitty… miserable… a downer… friendless… worthless… No, that’s not it. That’s not what I am. If I say that to anyone else, it’ll only make me as bad as the people who spread the rumors. I’m not like them. I… I’m not a bad person. _

“...That’s just gonna make the situation worse. Nobody wants that negativity.”

“Well, you can’t tell us what to do,” Derick jabbed.

“I know. I’m just saying that—“

“Y’know, I’m actually, like, really tired of talking to you.” Leonida averted her eyes. “Can you go now?”

Kieron worriedly glanced over at Colston and frowned. “Perhaps we should go. We can’t let this escalate any further.”

“I know, but…” Colston whispered, “I’m not giving up. I wanna defend you.” He then declared, “We’re just trying to apologize. I’m just trying to prove my poi—“

“Shut up, we don’t care. Holding hands and singing kumbaya isn’t how things work around here. It isn’t gonna be easy for you all the time, especially if you’re a murderer, or even friends with one.”

“Can you at least let me fini—“

“She told you to shut up.” Derick intimidatingly walked up to Colston and got up in his face. “So shut up, Kid.”

“...Please don’t call me ‘Kid.’”

As soon as Colston spoke, Derick pinned him to the locker, strongly grasping onto his throat. “I’m tired of people like you! Just go to hell!”

Colston gripped onto his hands and pulled at them, attempting to get them off of his throat, but it was to no avail. “N-No… W-Wait—“

The few surrounding students shrieked in horror as they backed away, only deciding to observe.

A look of fear was plastered on Kieron’s face as he shouted, “Get off of him!” 

“Stay out of this!” Leonida pushed Kieron onto the floor and repeatedly kicked his sides. “Get away from us, you disgusting murderer!”

Colston choked, in a desperate attempt to be freed, “P-Please—“

Derick only tightened his grip. “I’m only letting you go if Kieron admits that he killed that little girl from third grade! But I’m sure that you trust that him, your little friend, didn’t kill anyone, so good luck with that!”

“H-He…”

With every attempt Kieron took to get up, Leonida kept on kicking him down as he roared out of pain. 

All Colston could think about was not food, not astronomy, nor his own life. All that mattered was the Anime Club that became so dear to him, Kieron, and the remainder of his family: his father. 

_ S-Shit… is this how I…? What about the Christmas presents? Wasn’t I going to buy some for them…? The presents… the gifts… and I couldn’t even lend my telescope over to Alicia. Everyone’s probably waiting for me, too… _

Serving as his anguished yet final attempt, he repeatedly stepped on Derick’s foot and eventually inflicted pain to him by kicking him in the stomach.

“S-Shi—“ Derick winced in pain and groaned. He then began to slam Colston’s head against the locker, and—

“What the hell?!” Hyun-a hurriedly sprinted towards Derick and Leonida, shoving the crowd away. “Get away from them!” She pulled Derick off of Colston and thrusted Leonida away, pushing them to the ground. “C-Colston! Kieron!” 

Derick hastily got up and raised his eyebrow. “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re—“

“Get over here!” Mrs. Yang walked over to Derick and Leonida, stopping them in their tracks, and pulled them up. She declared in a bellowing tone, “You two are in serious trouble. Principal’s office, now.”

Leonida whined, “B-But—“

“No excuses! You two are going, whether you like it or not!”

“...Fine.”

Derick and Leonida followed suit as they angrily stomped downstairs, making their way to the principal’s office.

The spectating students covered their mouths with their hands and whispered to each other in shock, still trying to process what they had witnessed. However, in reality, this was the norm. They were just mainly surprised a teacher actually came and saved the day.

Mrs. Yang bent down and frowned. “Are you two alright? Here…” She carefully lifted up Kieron as he grimaced in pain, touching his wounds. “Can you stand?”

“Y-Yes,” Kieron murmured. “But Colston…”

Mrs. Yang turned to Colston, and noticed that Hyun-a was sitting down beside him, attempting to wake him up.

“Colston? Are you there?” Hyun-a continued to cry out, “H-Hey, get up already…!”

“He’s still breathing, he’s just passed out,” Mrs. Yang assured. “We’ll take care of him.”

“What… what even happened…?”

*****

Kieron felt more than guilty for everything that happened that day. He wondered if he had never confronted Leonida and Derick the previous day, then none of this would’ve happened. This may have been the truth, but he was willing to accept anything but that. Although he was a very responsible person, he felt terrible for the pain that was caused, and didn’t want to be reminded of it whatsoever. He then began to think that he’s as worse as the rumors. Maybe even worse.

He let someone get hurt. He unnecessarily started the drama, and he didn’t do anything about it. This could’ve been avoided. But now, all he can do is grieve and be reminded of all the other times this has not only happened to himself, but other people, all due to the inability to speak up. He hated that.

Wanting to get rid of all the pain you’ve experienced is human nature, and for Kieron, in his situation, he was no different. He wanted to let everything go, move on, and finally feel the freedom he’s desired for so long. But there’s no way he could, now. 

Or at least, in the way he wanted to.

This time, he wanted to take a different approach.

Lying on the bed located in the infirmary room, he looked up to the ceiling and slowly closed his eyes, feeling a slight pang of relaxation and peace for the first time in three years. 

He was willing to do all he could to keep feeling this way.

Once a rumor affects you, it’ll start pestering you until you finally give in and reach your breaking point. Sadly enough, this was the case for Kieron. If you can no longer prove your rumor wrong, then all you can do is live up to it, right?

_ I know what I’m going to do. I’ll kill both Derick and Leonida. After that, I’ll… I’ll end it all. I don’t have a choice. _

He had zero intention of killing anyone. He had zero intention of dying. But grief passes on to one and, eventually, many others. It’s the sad truth that can’t be denied by anyone living on Earth. 

If only there was an easier way to escape it.

For now, death was the only option.


	29. Perseus -Our Next Move- (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Colston and Kieron meet up again after the previous event.

A few days after the fight, Colston and Kieron both came back to school. Kieron suffered from minor injuries, but luckily enough, there wasn’t too much damage done. Leonida was fairly weak, after all. Colston, on the other hand, didn’t suffer from any injuries, but had to regain the courage to return to school after what he had experienced. It wasn’t like him to act like this, for he would normally just pass off this kind of thing as nothing, but for once, it was something that affected him greatly. Perhaps it was due to the fact he was greatly looking forward to something important to him. 

_ The presents… that’s right, I gotta buy those for everyone.  _

Entering the Anime Club’s room, he had suddenly alarmed everyone within the area. He noticed that as soon as he entered, it went silent. Did he do something wrong? Were they scared of him? Mad, even?

Tears began to develop in Dennis’ eyes. “C-Coal… dude...” He ran towards him and hugged him tightly. “Dude, you’re alive! I totally thought you were dead!”

“I’m not dead yet.” Colston frowned and hugged him back. “Sorry I worried y’all. I should’ve just came in before all that.”

“No way.” Rudy reassured, “Weren’t you helping someone? It’s fine.”

“I’m just glad you didn’t… y’know,  _ die  _ or anything.” Lisa shrugged, “I mean, Derick is pretty hot, but if he had attacked me like that, I wouldn’t have been able to defend myself or anything. Thanks to you, I know that I shouldn’t approach him anymore…”

Min-Jun’s eyebrows rose. “Wait, you’ve approached him before?”

“Yeah, of course! I’ve talked to almost every boy in the school… Well, if only if they’re popular.”

“Okay, so not every boy in the school.”

“So, how did it go with Kieron?” asked Ruby. “I don’t know if you wanna talk about it or not, but…”

Colston pulled away from the hug as he and Dennis took a seat. “Oh, yeah, Kieron. It was fine, I guess. We got to know each other a little, and… I feel really bad for him. He doesn’t deserve to have all of those rumors spread about him, y’know? He’s lost a lot. I’d rather be in his place.”

Alicia put down her book and closed it up, letting out a sigh. “I don’t know if there’s much we can do about it… I wanna help, and, y’know, I should’ve gone with you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, Aqua. I think things would’ve ended up the same way. That’s just how Derick and Leonida are.”

“Speaking of those two,” Rudy questioned, “Did they ever get suspended? Have you heard anything from the principal yet?”

“Yeah, I did, actually. She said that they’ve been suspended for a while. She told me a few days ago.” Colston chuckled, “I gotta catch up with all my work, but it’s not like my grades are perfect, anyway.”

“So, like, what are you gonna do now? Are you gonna meet up with Kieron again or something?” Dennis snickered, “Heh, are you gonna date him?”

“No, I’m not gay…” Just what was going through Dennis’ head? “I think we’re gonna have a playdate this weekend or something. He doesn’t really feel comfortable about talking to anyone at school for some reason.”

“Well, I mean, it’s obvious that he’s scared of going back, but if he’s here, then that means he’s being forced!” Lisa put her hand under her chin and exasperated, “I know I couldn’t bear with that! That’s just terrible!”

“He’s probably not being forced, though. He seems like a pretty responsible person, so… He also said that he’s busy with cleaning his clubroom every day, so he probably just wants to do that.”

“Huh? What clubroom?”

“He owns the Art History Club. He’s the only member, but he said that once the rumors die out, people are gonna come in and see his hard work, or something like that. I hope that happens.”

“I’d be willing to join, then! Especially if he’s good looking… but, wait, no, that’s not the point. I meant, uh, I wanna help him out!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, totally! I’ll just approach him next week. You said he doesn’t really wanna talk to anyone at school right now, so I guess I just gotta wait.”

“That’s nice. Thanks, Lisa.”

“Woah, Lisa being selfless for once?” Min-Jun looked to the side and snickered, “That’s a first.”

“Hey, I’m, like, super selfless! Don’t I help you guys a whole lot?” Lisa muttered, “If anyone’s selfish, it’s you! I saw you hogging all of the candy at that one Halloween party!”

“W-What?! I didn’t go to—“

“Yeah, you did!” Lisa widely grinned and pointed towards him. “I was in the same room you were in! You were supposed to pass them out, but you kept them all to yourself!”

“N-No, I didn’t. Don’t you remember? I passed them out, and—“

“Aaaand... the cat’s out of the bag.”

“W-Wh—“

Rudy smiled and chuckled, “Wow, that’s nice of you.”

Min-Jun’s face lit red as he stammered, “N-No, that’s not what happened! Lisa forced me to say that!”

“You literally just admitted it.” Lisa mumbled with a wide grin, “And that’s not all I know…”

“What?! How?!”

“But wait…” Alicia wondered, “Lisa isn’t in Min-Jun’s class. How would she know…?”

“She’s a snitch,” Min-Jun grumbled, lying his head onto the table.

Lisa crossed her arms and scoffed, “Hey, there’s more to me than the super cute girl you see before you! And I’m not a snitch! It’s mainly Hyun-a who exposes you!”

“Ugh, thought so…”

“Hmm...” Colston then remembered a portion of what happened before he passed out. He wasn’t just thinking of the presents. Before he fell, he could’ve sworn that he heard Hyun-a. “Hey, speaking of Hyun-a… where is she?”

Nagisa stopped staring at the window and glanced at Colston. “She’s fine. Just a little sick. Cold weather.”

“Oh, okay. Makes sense… it’s already almost December.”

Colston didn’t want to worry about it too much, but he did wonder if Hyun-a was more than worried for him. He assumed that she was the only person in the club who found out about the fight in the hallway and eventually broke it up, but maybe everyone else helped, too. Then again, they probably had no idea of what was going on until Hyun-a left the room. However, it would’ve been hard to know, since whenever a room’s door is closed, it’s hard to hear anything coming from the hallway. Especially if the fight broke out a couple of doors away.

So, how  _ did  _ Hyun-a know, exactly?

*****

It was Saturday, and it was time for the playdate. Kieron’s mother and Colston’s father agreed on letting the two of them hang out at Kieron’s house for a few hours. Colston hadn’t gone to someone’s house in almost two years, so this was definitely something different for him. Most of the time, he prefers to stay at his house for the entire rest of the day after school, and either mope around or actually get stuff done. But of course, at night, he takes out his telescope and goes stargazing. He also began to wonder if he could go stargazing with Kieron, as well.

Arriving at Kieron’s house, Colston knocked on the door and waited for it to be opened.

_ I hope this doesn’t take too long. It’s freezing cold outside… but maybe his mom is busy with something.  _

A minute later, after Colston decided to knock at least one more time, the door finally opened, and he was greeted by Kieron’s mother.

“Oh, good afternoon. You must be Colston, right?”

“Yeah, that’s me.” Colston waved and nervously chuckled, “Uh, did I interrupt anything? You look… tired.”

“I was just cleaning the house.” She muttered, “Because for some reason, Kieron didn’t want to do it today...” She added, “Anyway, you can call me Miss Miguire. Come right in.”

“Alright.”

He entered the household and noticed that it was very neat, clean, and organized. It met his expectations, due to Kieron’s rather formal way of speaking and posture, but it looked better than he thought it would be. It’s not like appearance mattered, but it still feels nice to be in a non-hoarder-like house. 

He didn’t want to go to a house like Nita’s.

“Kieron, your friend is here.” Miss Miguire repeatedly knocked on her son’s door, halting once he eventually opened it.

“Colston?” Kieron greeted with an unemotional expression, “Oh, hi.”

“Hi…” Colston didn’t expect things to be this awkward. Strange.

“Uhm…” 

“I’ll be in my room if anyone needs me,” Miss Miguire stated. “You two have fun.”

Colston firmly nodded. “Yeah.”

Miss Miguire left the hallway and walked to her room, leaving Kieron and Colston by themselves.

“Well…” Kieron glanced at his door. “Would… would you like to come to my room?”

“...Sure.” 

They both walked inside Kieron’s room, as Colston sat down on the floor.

Kieron frowned and spoke, “That’s uncomfortable. Sit in my chair.”

Colston shook his head. “No thanks, I’m good.” 

“Alright.” 

At that moment, there was total silence. What would they even talk about? Sure, they wanted to hang out, but where would they start? The last time they spoke, it didn’t even end well. Would they just talk about that the entire time?

“Hmm…” Kieron sat on top of his bed and looked around the room. “...How are you doing?”

“Fine, I didn’t get hurt or anything. What about you?” 

“I had to be taken to the infirmary, but I feel better now. Leonida didn’t do too much. It just hurt a little.” 

“Oh…”

Kieron solemnly looked downwards. “I’m sorry I was no help. I just stood there. I should have done something.”

“Nah, it wasn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have thrown any punches. ...Not literally.”

“Alright then.”

Once again, an awkward silence fell upon them. Colston felt like he had to take initiative to break it. All he had to do was think about something they would both enjoy. The space stuff was for later. He just needed to think.

“...What do you like to do after school, and stuff?”

“Hm? Oh,” Kieron replied, “I usually help my mother clean the house. After that, I help her with making food, have dinner, take a shower, and go to bed.”

“Oh, that’s not a lot. I just lie in bed most of the day.”

_ Wait a minute, he said he cleans the house everyday, but his mom said that he didn’t wanna do it… meh, he’s probably just tired, that’s all. _

“But, anyway…” Colston stood up and suggested, “Wanna make somethin’?”

“Food?”

“Yeah. You like cookin’ with your mom, don’t ya? Maybe we can give her a break and make some dinner. She looks pretty tired.”

“...You’re right.”

“So, what do you wanna make?”

Kieron shrugged. “I… don’t know. We usually either make some stew or colcannon, but…”

“Then let’s try making that.”

“No, we can’t. We… don’t have the ingredients. We ran out of them yesterday. Every single one of them.”

“Oh, well that sucks. Hmm…” Colston figured that he might as well suggest some of his favorites. “How about some pie? A smashed burger? Bucatini All’ Amatriciana?”

“Pie is the only food I recognize out of the ones you mentioned. I’m not sure if we even have the ingredients.”

“All we gotta do is check. So, which one sounds more interesting? The bucatini or smashed burger?”

“The first one. I can’t pronounce it, but it sounds good. What are the ingredients?”

“I actually don’t know. My daddy just makes them himself sometimes. I’ll pull them up from a website or something. Do you have a computer?”

“Yes. Right on my desk.” Kieron pointed to his computer, and Colston went up to it. “But can’t you use a phone?”

“It’s hard for me to see things on my phone. It’s too small. I mainly just use it for making calls and shopping for stuff.”

“Have you tried increasing the font size?”

“...Wait, you can do that?!”

Kieron nodded. “...Yes. But maybe you just need glasses.”

“That’s probably it. My eyesight hasn’t always been the best, y’know. I think I got that from my Dad, I dunno.”

“I see. Well, feel free to use my computer, then. The passcode is on a sticky note to the side.”

“Oh, I see it.” Colston sat in a chair, opened the computer and input the password. As soon as he booted up the web browser, he let out a gasp as his eyes widened. “Damn... your computer looks so… advanced.”

“It’s the latest model. Don’t you have a computer, too?”

“Yeah, but it’s really old. I got it from my mom a long time ago. I’ve never seen a computer this cool-looking before…” 

“You should buy a new one. I heard that your father is a doctor.”

Colston turned around in his seat. “I’ve never really thought of getting a new computer. I mean, I’d barely even use it, but… I actually might lay off the books for a while.”

“I take it that you do research on space?”

“That’s right. With a newer computer, that might be easier…!”

“Maybe.”

Kieron expected Colston to be more up to date with the latest technology. He seemed like that kind of person. Kieron also had to admit that his reaction to the computer was pretty cute.

“I found the recipe,” said Colston, “Look over here. There ain’t that much, actually.”

Kieron got up from his bed and bent down to take a look at the computer’s screen, and read the list of ingredients. “Oh, that looks fairly simple. I feel like we can make this. But I feel like we should ask my mother for help.”

“How come? Can’t we do this by ourselves?”

“Well… do you even know how to cook?”

“Uh, kinda.”

“Then you better not make a mess of things. It takes way too long for me to clean up my mother’s mess. I don’t want to clean up yours.”

Colston rolled his eyes and sarcastically commented, “Gee, thanks for the encouragement.”

“I wasn’t encouraging you. I was asking you to not make a mess.”

“...Dude, that was sarcasm. I was being sarcastic.”

“What’s sarcasm?”

“Uh…” How could he not know what that was? “Just put it this way: I was joking. Let’s just start, or somethin’.”

“Oh, okay.” Kieron firmly nodded. “I understand… and just so you know, that was sarcasm.”

“I think it’s gonna take ya a while to get that.”

*****

After around two hours of trial and error (and multiple retries, due to Kieron’s perfectionist nature) the duo finally completed their dinner. In the middle of the process, Miss Murphy found out and ended up having to help out in the end, but things at least got a bit better with some extra assistance. 

“This looks really good. What is it called?” she asked.

“The bucatini, for short,” Colston replied. “I have a lot of these at home, sometimes. It tastes pretty good. I just hope we didn’t screw anything up.”

“It looks perfect to me. We can eat this.” Kieron proudly crossed his arms and stared at the food. “It’s the best thing Mother and I have ever made.”

“I was in on it too, y’know.” Colston sighed, “I guess you totally forgot about me… too bad…”

“You helped, too. But you definitely seem like the better cook out of all three of us.”

“Just kidding, just kidding,” Colston lightly chuckled. “Anyway, let’s eat this thing already. I’m starving half to death.”

“Yeah, of course.”

“We have an extra plate,” Miss Murphy stated. “Would you like to have the extras, Colston?”

Colston snickered, “Hell yeah, don’t mind if I do.”

The three of them sat down at the large table located in the dining room and began to eat their food. However, as Colston was eating, he was barely thinking about the taste or texture. All he could think about was the size of the table. It was a strange thing to think about, but the more he thought about it, the more he figured that perhaps Kieron had lost more than just his girlfriend, along with her little sister. Maybe he lost his family, who previously used to sit at this table every night for dinner. Nowadays, it was just him and his mother, and it felt weird to have such a large dining room, as well as a multitude of silverware and plates with only two people living in the house.

Perhaps Colston was closer to him than he thought he was. However...

_ Hmm… speaking of Kieron, he’s been acting pretty weird today. He’s even acting weird right now. It’s almost as if he’s reluctantly eating the food. Is it because of the fight? Or is there something else? _

Once everyone was done with their food, Colston and Kieron were excused to go back to the room. Kieron had to use the bathroom first, so Colston went inside his room before him.

Minding his own business, Colston sat down on the floor and decided to text his dad. “Ugh, I can barely even see the letters… I’ll just text him later.” He put away his phone, and out of curiosity, stood up and looked around the room. He wasn’t expecting to see anything strange, but he might as well check out a room that was neater and more organized than his. 

At least it didn’t remind him of Nita’s room.

“Huh? What’s this...?” Colston glanced at a piece of paper that was lying on top of a drawer. He took a hold of it and read what had been written.

“‘Mother, I’m sorry, but I won’t be inconveniencing you for any longer. I’ll get rid of the people who ruined my life, and get rid of my own. I hope that you can find it in your heart to forgive me. Goodbye…’”

As he read the note, his eyes widened out of shock and fear. His face went blank, and he placed the note back where he found it.

“What… what the hell…?”

“Shouldn’t you know by now to not get into other people’s business?” Kieron walked inside the room and crossed his arms, bearing a look of disdain. 

“Kieron, what the hell did that mean?!”

“Exactly what it looks like.” Kieron muttered, “If you hadn’t found out, this would’ve been the last time we’d be meeting, but I guess I have to find another day.”

“Another day…?! Screw that!” Colston ran up to him. “What are you thinking? I thought you didn’t want to do any of this!”

“I thought you’d be calm about this. You barely even know me, yet you’re making a big deal out of—“

“Of course I am! Who wouldn’t?!”

“...What happens to me isn’t your concern. You should be worried about Derick and Leonida. Even so, you can’t stop me.”

At this point, Colston didn’t even know how to react or process this. Maybe  _ that’s  _ why Kieron was acting strange. He was thinking about this the entire time. He’s already scheduled a day for when his plans are going to be put in action. He doesn’t even care. 

_ Why… Why does he not care? This can’t be due to the fight… fights like these happen way too many times… he even said it himself. He said that he’s gotten into a bunch of fights, so why now? I thought that it didn’t bother him. I thought that it didn’t… he said that it didn’t… and now he’s just gonna end others’ lives and get rid of his own… _

“Why are you doing this now…? Is it my fault?”

“No, it’s not your fault. I…” Kieron looked downwards and let out a sigh. “I’ve never met anyone like you. The fact that you had to get hurt the moment I met you is my fault entirely. I should’ve done something to help. I shouldn’t have gotten you involved in any of this.”

“...Please, just don’t end it all. Don’t kill anyone, either. That’s terrible.”

Kieron grumbled, “You have no right to say that to me. This isn’t any of your business anymore.”

“Yes, it is! Y’know, I used to think like that all the time. I didn’t think anyone would care, and I didn’t even care myself if I died… my club wasn’t working out, and it still isn’t, I lost almost everyone in my family, I couldn’t make any friends, and everything just sucked. I felt like giving up all the time, and I was hella negative. But… you don’t have to stay like that. You just gotta do something about it!”

“What do you mean?”

“I spent two whole years being miserable and staying that way, without even trying to snap out of it. It took me way too long to actually try. I wanted to be an astronomer, and I still do, but I passed it off as nothing and gave it up, all because nobody even knew my name. But I didn’t even try to get to know anyone, and that’s my fault. So, if you’re gonna dream about something, or anything, at least go through with it, damn it.”

“...I had no idea you were like that. But if you think that’s gonna convince me to not do this, you’re wrong.”

“I want to help. I’m willing to do anything to help. You’re just like my past self, and I wanna do anything to keep you from being miserable for the rest of the life you’re trying to end. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“Maybe… but how are you going to help me?”

“I’ll recruit members for your club. I’ll even do my hardest to prove the rumors wrong, but if I can’t do that, I’ll just try to change them.” Colston added, “And you don’t have to worry about Derick and Leonida anymore. They’re being punished. All we gotta do is ignore them.”

“...You’re very stubborn, you know that?”

“Nowadays, I just have to be.”

“Hmm…” Kieron sat down on his bed. “I’m surprised that you want to help this much.”

The idea of killing someone else was just a random thought at the start, and he figured that doing such a thing would lift the many burdens he had bore. After enduring the same rumors for almost more than two years, he felt like he had to live up to them, even if he didn’t care about them. If he had killed someone, then he’d finally be the person everyone expected him to be. People across the state would know his name. He would finally become someone who people knew. 

Deep down, he knew it was wrong, but it seemed like his only choice. It was only that day that he didn’t seem to care anymore. Thanks to Colston, he got the wake-up call he needed.

“Thank you. I’ll reconsider my plans, I guess.”

“Thank god…” Colston sat beside him and smiled. “You better stay true to your word, though. If you end up being a murder, we’re not friends anymore.”

Kieron nodded in understanding. “I see. It’d be nice if we could stay friends.” 

“That was a joke.”

“Ah. You still need to teach me about ‘sarcasm.’” Kieron mumbled, “And, um… please get off my bed.”

“O-Oh, sorry.” Colston followed suit and stood before Kieron. “Anyway, uh, what do you wanna do now? Like, watch TV? Do you even do that here?”

“I don’t watch much television. I heard that it corrupts the mind.”

“Well, there are a few good shows out there. Maybe you can try them out.”

“Maybe. You have to show them to me.”

*****

A few hours later, the night had finally arrived, and it was almost time for Colston to leave. He didn’t expect time to fly by so quickly, but that’s just how it is when you’re having fun. It took a little while for him to find a show that Kieron would like, however. Luckily enough for him, he was able to find out that they both enjoy documentaries. And maybe going stargazing in Kieron’s backyard wasn’t such a bad idea. The only problem? Colston forgot to bring his telescope.

“Hey, Kieron, do you wanna go outside and look at the stars, or something?”

Kieron turned around and asked, “Why?” 

“Uh, well,” Colston explained, “It’s something I like to do every night. I forgot my telescope, so… I guess we can just look at the stars without it.”

“What do you find fun in that?”

“I dunno, it’s just pretty relaxing. It’s something I’ve been doing since I was a little kid.” 

“I see… alright, then let’s go. When we’re out there, you can finally teach me about ‘sarcasm.’” Kieron grabbed the remote, turned off his TV, and walked out of his room alongside Colston. They made their way to the backyard, and Kieron inquired, “Would you like some chairs?”

“I mean, only if you want to. I find it comfortable to just sit or lie down on the grass or whatever. It gives me a better view.”

“Alright. I won’t get the chairs, then.” 

Colston sat down on the grass, and Kieron sat beside him. They both stared up at the sky and admired the scenery. The stars were shining brightly that day, and Colston was able to identify a few constellations in his head.

“...This isn’t very entertaining. I can’t hear anything,” Kieron stated.

Colston nodded and chuckled, “I know, I know. That’s why not alotta kids my age really like this kind of stuff, but I just think it’s neat.” 

At this point, Colston was just willing to accept that. It didn’t really bother him; the fact that not too many people appreciated the subject of astronomy as much as he did. That was okay now. He at least had friends to call his own, and they still cared about him, no matter what. 

“Y’know,” Colston began, “Maybe I can introduce you to the people in the Anime Club. They’re pretty nice, and I think you’d get along with ‘em.”

“You think so?” Kieron mumbled, “I’m not good at talking to people, though. It’ll be too awkward.”

“And that’s fine. It was super awkward when I first talked to them, too. Hell, I didn’t even wanna be ‘round them. Not in a mean way, but I was just super nervous. I’m just not the outgoing type.”

“Me neither. I guess we have more in common than I thought we did.” 

“Well… there’s alotta people in this school. Sometimes, I feel like there’s too many, but at the same time, that also means you can make a ton of friends. It ain’t that hard once you actually try talkin’ to someone for once.”

“I see…” Kieron turned around and bluntly added, “Anyway, teach me about ‘sarcasm,’ rignt now.”

“You want to learn about it so badly?”

“Of course I do. I want to understand you more.”

“Well, how can I explain this… it’s kind of, like, mocking what someone says, or trying to make what you say funny, even though you don’t mean it. It’s not in a rude way, though. I mean, some people use it that way, but I don’t.”

“Oh, I get it now. Then… I hate you. You’re a terrible person, and I’ve never liked you.”

Colston shrugged and giggled, “...Meh, you’re getting there.”

They both continued to look at the stars, as Colston slowly began to close his eyes. After all that had happened during that entire week, he felt happy and relieved. He was self-assured that nothing like this would happen ever again, and that their problem was solved. 

He just hoped that Nita didn’t ruin everything again.

“Colston, your father is here!” Miss Miguire opened the door to the backyard, standing alongside Bradford.

“...Colston, it’s time for you to go,” said Kieron. 

“Oh, right.” Colston stood up and walked to his dad, Kieron following behind him.

“Did you have fun?” asked Bradford.

“Yeah, I had fun. Thanks for letting me come over.” 

“You have Miss Miguire to thank for that, as well.”

“You’re right.” Colston turned to Miss Miguire and stated, “Thanks for letting me come.”

She nodded and smiled. “No problem. I’m glad that you and Kieron had fun.” 

Colston walked with his dad to the front door, as Kieron walked with his mom to bid their farewells.

“Well, see ya later, Kieron.” Colston waved goodbye and added, “Tell me when you’re done binge watching that show we decided on, will ya?”

“I will,” Kieron replied, “I’ll see you at school. I had a lot of fun. Goodbye.”

And so, Colston’s day was over. He genuinely had a great time, and it was the first time he'd wanted to have another playdate with a friend he had recently met. Sure, he was willing to hang out with any of the Anime Club members, but other people would be great, too. 

As long as it was someone other than Nita.


	30. What's Your Reality is Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dennis' girlfriend Astrid pays a visit, coming from the Netherlands.

Dennis wasn’t so popular back in the Netherlands.

Ever since he arrived in Missouri, it was his greatest dream to become one of the most admired students in school. He didn’t have too much luck with being popular before, so he figured that in a new state, it would be much easier. Especially since nobody would know him. His friends from back then didn’t necessarily classify him as ‘cool kid’ material, and he  _ was  _ just a little salty about that, but he didn’t let it get to him. He only took this as an opportunity to improve himself, and maybe even change entirely.

In the past, people didn’t like hanging around him, but he decided to try new things in order to get along with them and at least relate to them in a few ways. But that opportunity was short-lived. Once he came across Ruby, someone who appreciated his help for once, he wanted to be accepted by everyone else as much as he was with Ruby. That’s how he created a persona for himself. 

But even if his own family believed in him, many would say that was too much to ask for.

*****

Rudy took a sip of water from a plastic cup he had brought into the clubroom. “Ah, there’s just a few more days until winter break. It doesn’t even feel like December yet.”

“I get ya.” Min-Jun took a seat and rested his head, slowly closing his eyes. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a few snow days this week. It’s been freezing cold.”

“At least we’d be able to play in the snow.”

“Nah, only little kids do that. I’m just gonna livestream stuff.” 

“Oh, okay.” Rudy threw away the cup in the garbage bin and walked up to the shelf. “I should probably clean this place up before we go. We’re gonna be gone for two weeks. I don’t wanna put the teachers in charge of doing everything, y’know?”

“Sounds good. Have fun.”

“Aren’t you going to help me?”

“You’re already gonna have Lisa’s help, so there’s no point.”

“Lisa…” Rudy crossed his arms and muttered, “She probably won’t. She’s just gonna hang around Kieron the whole week.”

“Are you jealous?”

“No, that’s not it at all. I just hope she doesn’t neglect all of her work and everything else before the end of the year…”

“Understandable.” Min-Jun shrugged and rolled his eyes. “But I’m not worried about that. I’m just worried about those two stupid kids who started a fight. Like, is being  _ that _ dumb even possible? They knew they were gonna get punished.”

“That’s just the way it is. It’s always been like that. Anyway…” Rudy looked towards Min-Jun. “How is it with your dad?”

Min-Jun looked up and replied, “It’s fine, I guess. He hasn’t been too hard on me as much as he used to be.”

“Any news on your mom?”

“No…”

“Oh…” Rudy frowned and added, “...Well, I’m sure they’ll find her sooner or later.”

“I sure hope so.”

“...You know, you should be more open about your video game stuff. I never see you talk about it here.”

“That’s because it’s weird.” Min-Jun muttered, “Besides… magic… demons… tribes… it’s all just stupid. Imagine believing in all of that…”

“Huh?”

“Nothing.”

“...Hm.” Rudy looked out the window and admired the scenery. “It looks nice up here. You can see just about everything. That’s what I like about the high school area.”

Min-Jun nodded in agreement. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s also pretty relaxing. There aren’t too many people.”

“I love that it’s calm over here. Downstairs, it’s a disaster. It’s not all bad, but I just p—“ Rudy was suddenly interrupted by a banging sound against the window. “...What was…?” 

“Rudy? What’s wrong?”

“There's...!”

Out of nowhere, a young-looking girl was pressing her face up against the window, looking straight into the room like a stalker. 

“I heard a scream! Is everything okay?” Hyun-a hurriedly ran inside the clubroom, but stopped in her tracks once she had witnessed the preposterous sight. “...Rudy, is that another one of your fangirls?”

“No…” Rudy slowly walked away as the girl continued to repeatedly knock on the window.

The girl hollered, “Hey, is Dennis there? Let me in!”

“Why’re you asking about Dennis?!” Min-Jun stomped over to the window and opened it up halfway. “Are you crazy?! What the hell are you doing?!”

“Astrid the Great requires you to open this window! I used up all of my spirit to get up to this high building, and you aren’t even gonna help me?!”

“Who would be crazy enough to do something like that?!”

“Are you calling me crazy?!” Astrid placed her hands on her hips and scoffed, “There’s no such thing as ‘crazy’ in Astrid the Great’s dictionary! I would rather prefer you call me ‘amazing, extraordinary,’ and—“

“You’re gonna fall!”

“O-Oh…!” She went into a panic and hastily slipped her way into the clubroom and fell to the ground face-first. “Man, that’s gonna leave a mark.”

Min-Jun backed away and raised his eyebrow.

“Who… who are you?”

“Didn’t you hear me?! I’m—“

“She isn't wearing our uniform,” Rudy commented. “Does she go to a different school…?”

“You got it!” Astrid stood up and played with her hair. “Besides, I don’t need to wear a uniform. I’m just too cool for that, y’know?”

Hyun-a slowly walked up to her. “Oh dear, another Dennis. Well, I guess that’s to be expected. Welcome to the club!”

“Hold on a minute.” Min-Jun left his seat and pointed to Astrid. “I guess I’m fine with her joining and all, but don’t we have to figure out why she was clinging onto the window?! That’s deadly!”

“Huh? What club?” Astrid’s eyes lit up as she excitedly jumped up and down. “Is Dennis actually here?! I’ve spent ages looking for him!” 

“He’s not here yet,” Rudy informed. “Why are you looking for him?”

Astrid dramatically gasped, “He hasn’t even said anything about me?! How dare he! I’m actually his—“

“Girlfriend!” Dennis burst the door open and sprinted towards Astrid, hugging her tightly. “You’re finally here! It’s been ages!”

“I know, I know! All I could think about was seeing you again!”

Min-Jun cringed at the sight before him. “...What the—“

Dennis let go and piped, “Hey, guys! I’d like for y’all to meet my girlfriend, Astrid!”

“What?!”

*****

“Fanta already has a partner before me?!” Lisa slumped in her chair and whined, “And I thought that I’d be the first one…”

“Nope~!” Dennis patted Astrid’s back. “Astrid is my lovely girlfriend, and we’ve been together for three whole years. Astrid, meet the Anime Club! Everyone, meet Astrid!”

“‘Lovely?’” Astrid giggled, “Aww, you’re so sweet.”

Colston rested his legs on the table and leaned back in his chair. “So, Dennis can be romantic, huh? That’s a first. He oughta give me some advice.”

“...Am I dreaming?” Min-Jun remarked, “This has gotta be a dream, right?”

“This isn’t a dream!” Dennis teased, “What, are you jealous because I have a girlfriend before you?”

Hyun-a chimed in, “Y’know, that could be the case. Maybe he wants to marry this Astrid girl.”

Min-Jun rebuked, “T-That’s not it! I just don’t get how it’s possible to already have a girlfriend! We’re literally kids!”

Nagisa looked up from their book. “Do you kiss?”

“Yeah, of course we do!” Dennis bore a smirk and snickered, “Heh, y’all are never gonna get to experience the level of intimacy we’re at… unless you get a girlfriend.”

“I will not ask any more questions.” 

“I envy you, Astrid! You already have a boyfriend!” Lisa walked up to her, uncharacteristically enthusiastic, “Let’s be besties! Maybe you can find a boyfriend for me, too!”

Astrid enthusiastically replied, “Maybe so! With my amazing abilities, I can find you a partner in ten seconds flat! Check this out, ladies and gentlemen! Take a seat!” 

Lisa returned to her seat alongside Dennis. “So, what’re gonna do?”

“Just watch,” Dennis piped, “‘Cuz she’s gonna blow your mind!”

“I call street magic,” said Colston.

“Prepare to be amazed! I’m gonna run from this catastrophic clubroom to the hallowed hallway! Blink, and you’ll miss it!” 

Rudy murmured, “Does our clubroom look that bad…?”

“Observe!”

Astrid stood in place for ten seconds, as the clubroom was engulfed in silence.

“...Done!”

“Huh? What?” Colston put his legs down and questioned, “I didn’t see anything… is that a part of the act?”

“I was probably so fast, you didn’t get to see the magic happen!”

“Dang it, I think I blinked!” Lisa mumbled, “This girl is amazing… I can’t lose to her…” 

Min-Jun and Hyun-a stated in unison, “She’s a hoax.”

“Ahah…” Ruby forced herself to say, “She definitely has alotta spirit, though!” “I bet she could do it for real someday!”

“It might be possible with magic,” Alicia stated, as she closed up her book. “I don’t know if it’s real or not, but…”

“I believe in magic! Lisa does, too! We love those magic shows that are on TV!”

Those very words are what piqued Min-Jun’s interest. “Magic…?” 

“You better believe it!” Dennis hugged Astrid once again and smiled widely. “She can do just about anything! That’s how awesome Astrid the Great is!

Astrid hugged him back and grinned. “Oh Dennis, you say the sweetest things!” 

Colston flatly spoke, “Wow. They’re so cheesy, I think I’m getting sick.” He added, “But hey, they’re the best couple I’ve seen in this entire school. That’s sweet.”

“They seem really happy, but…” Rudy hesitantly inquired, “Lisa, are you okay…?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” She mumbled to herself, “Maybe I should learn some tricks… then I can get a boyfriend…!”

“Is that really all that matters to you?”

“Of course not, Rudy. I hafta worry about my music career, too, but getting a boyfriend is more important than you think. He supports you for your entire life, flexes his good looks, and treats you like a princess. Who wouldn’t want that?”

“...Well, I guess that sounds nice, but… I still feel like you should focus on Math before school’s over.”

“How come?”

“You’re failing.”

“W—“

“So,” Ruby wondered, “What school do you go to? You’re not wearing our uniform.”

“And if she doesn’t even go to our school,” Min-Jun added, “Then why is she here…?”

“I’m only gonna be here for a little while!” Astrid explained, “You see, it took my mom and I  _ ages _ to save up money to go here, but with the power of my love for Dennis, we were finally able to travel here for vacation!”

“But how did you get into this school? You can’t just register this late in the year, especially if it’s only for a week…”

“Exactly! That’s why I decided to sneak in through the window!”

“What?!”

Alicia didn’t even know who this girl was, but if she had enough strength and courage to climb up the building just to reach the club’s window was respectable. “That’s super dangerous, but…! How were you able to do that? That’s incredible!” 

Astrid bore a know-it-all grin and nodded. “Heh, I know, right?”

“Ah…” Alicia interrupted herself and nervously stammered, “S-Sorry, I, uh… I didn’t mean to go off like that.”

“I’m glad you’re recognizing my talent! I like you!”

“Really…?”

“Yeah! And you too, the one with a hat!” Astrid pointed directly to Nagisa. “You have plenty of soul! You’re gonna make it far someday!”

Nagisa simply nodded. “That’s neat.” They didn’t really make too much of her statement, however. Besides, it’s not like it mattered. They wouldn’t be accomplishing anything anytime soon.

“And, of course,” Astrid continued, “I believe that all of you are gonna become super awesome, too! I can see it!” She finally pulled away from Dennis’ hug and struck a pose, pointing to the ceiling. “The future is bright! Assemble! We’ll crush the wo—“

“Be quiet!” A random boy swung the door open and hollered, “Y’all are way too loud! Tone it down a bit!“

“Oh, you poor, lost soul! Have you any need of guid—“

“We’ll tone it down,” Rudy replied, “Sorry about that.”

“Thank you.” The boy finally shut the door and walked back to his clubroom.

“Man, what’s the matter with him?” Astrid chuckled, “He has, like, no spirit at all! What a loser, am I right?”

Dennis sighed, “Uh, yeah, you’re right…”

The word loser was a bit too familiar to him. He hated hearing it. Seeing it on his phone everyday of his life in the past was already enough.

_ What past, again? _

“Hey, Dennis, so what have you been doing here all these years?” asked Astrid.

“The usual,” he replied. “Chilling with my bros, being cool, and hanging out at the Anime Club! It’s been awesome! You should really, like, stay forever! Then, you can hang out with all of us!”

“As much as I’d love to, we don’t have enough money to stay. Buuuut… maybe I can come back again~! You never know!”

“Yeah, you’re right!”

Lisa asked, “Hey, Astrid? Can you show us some of your other skills?”

“Yeah, of course!” Astrid declared, “I’ll show off some neat magic tricks I know!”

That’s not what she expected, but she wasn’t complaining. “More magic tricks? Can you make me a hot boyfriend?!”

“Yup! Do any of y’all have cards or top hats?”

“...Why?”

“You’ll see!”

“We don’t have any of that here,” said Hyun-a. “Maybe you should ask the Drama Club. They have all sorts of stuff.”

“Really?! Yay! I’ll go then!”

“Wait—“

Astrid bursted the door right open and darted out of the clubroom.

“...Kaitie doesn’t like it when… Nevermind.”

Min-Jun crossed his arms and relaxed in his seat. “I don’t think she knows that you can’t run in the halls, either, but just let her get in trouble. I can’t wait to see what happens.”

“Same here,” Colston agreed.

Rudy was  _ this  _ close to lecturing these three. “Are you three not going to do anything? It’ll be our fault if we don’t tell her the rules, anyway! What if—“

“Hi! I’m back! I got my stuff!” Astrid sprinted back into the room wearing a top hat, her hands filled with cards. “How do I look? Classy, right?!”

Hyun-a praised, “Wow, that was fast! But... how did you…?”

“Simple! All I had to do was ask some red-haired girl who was standing by some blue-haired one for some props, and she said, ‘yeah, okay, just don’t mess ‘em up or anythin’! But it’s not like I care that much!’ Cool, right?”

_ I don’t even care that this girl is better than me,  _ Lisa thought with a grin,  _ Because she sure looks promising! If she can make me a boyfriend, all of my dreams will come true! This is gonna be the best day of my life! No… it already is! This is awesome! _

“Hey, Astrid! Use your magic thingie to make a hot boy appear in front of me or something!”

“You got it, girlie!” Astrid laid her cards on the table and took off her top hat, holding it in her hand. She then drew a wand from within it. “Alright, let’s see… how do you want him to look?”

“This is ridiculous.” Min-Jun stood up from his seat. “I’m leaving.”

Nagisa pulled on his shirt. “Stay. You will like this.”

“And how do you know that?”

“Please. Just stay.”

“...Fine.” Min-Jun sat back down and let out a sigh. “I-It’s not like I even believe in this stuff though, so I don’t get the point.”

“Okay.”  _ There was no reason to say that, and you’re obviously lying _ is what Nagisa wanted to say.

“Wait, before you start,” Alicia inquired, “Is this gonna be safe…?”

“I was wondering the same thing.” Rudy elaborated, “Would the person just fly out of your hat and act as a projectile? If so, that’d be dangerous. Just because Lisa wants a boyfriend doesn’t mean we have to put someone in danger. And if this person isn’t coming from the hat, will they just teleport here? What if he’s in the middle of homework? What if we’re taking him away from a situation he has to face that is beneficial to his career, and may or may not affect the rest of his life all b—“

“Rudy, are you okay?!” Lisa repeatedly tapped his shoulder. “What have you seen?! None of that is gonna happen! I’m just gonna find the love of my life!”

“At what cost?”

“Nothing!”

“You don’t care about anything, as long as you get love?!” Rudy grabbed Lisa’s arm and walked her outside. “We’re not gonna do this.”

“Let go of me! You’re not my dad! Gah!”

Astrid blinked owlishly and wondered, “Are those two okay~?”

“It’s kinda like their character dynamic now,” Hyun-a replied, “So they’ll be fine.”

“Ooh, dynamics!” Dennis pointed to Alicia. “What’s mine with Cyclone’s?”

She responded, “Well, I mean, you’ve been my friend for a couple years, so…”

“Alright, so, anyway,” Astrid began, “Since the lucky girl isn’t in here anymore, I’ll have to postpone my act for another day! Sooo, who’s next?”

“Nobody.” Min-Jun glared at Astrid and furrowed his eyebrows. 

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Your little magic show is filled with crap. You  _ do  _ realize none of that stuff is real, right? So, can you, like, stop it? Please?”

Hyun-a’s eyebrows rose as she glanced at Min-Jun. “Why are you saying that? You’re being rude.”

“I’m not being rude. And, look… I don’t even care if she stays or whatever. I’m just asking her politely if she can quit her whole magic gig.”

“U-Uh…” Dennis knew that he was serious, and he didn’t want to trouble him any further. He didn’t fully understand why Min-Jun was upset, but he might as well try to. “Astrid, maybe it’s time to wrap it up. You can show off your tricks to Lisa tomorrow!”

“How come?” Astrid pouted and whined, “C’mon, you’re being weird! Just lemme do my thing!”

“...Min-Jun just doesn’t wanna see. Let’s do this later.”

“Okaaaay… but can we talk in the hallway or something?”

“Yeah, sure.” 

Dennis and Astrid both left the clubroom, shutting the door behind them.

Well, that was strange.

Hyun-a finally broke the long silence and asked, “Min, are you salty about something?”

“I’m fine,” he replied. “It’s just… stupid… it’s all stupid.” He averted his eyes away from her and crossed his arms.

“Hmm,” Ruby wondered, “Has anyone noticed that Dennis has been acting strange this entire time? He’s been like this ever since Astrid got here.”

“Yeah, he even called me by my real name.” It’s not like it mattered to Min-Jun at all, but it felt weird. A good kind of weird.

Colston just decided to take wild guesses. “Well, maybe he’s been possessed by an alien from space… or even worse: The sun’s radiation is causing him to act up, and maybe that also has to do with Astrid, ‘cuz the name means something related to stars, and can also be connected to the prophecy of one of the heavenly signs, leading to the end of the world, where the Earth will be engulfed by fire from the Sun.”

“I hope that doesn’t happen…” Alicia added, “But I really don’t know what’s going on with him, either. And I’ve known him for years. He’s acting less… wild.”

Nagisa began tapping on the desk. “I can give him fish to help him feel better.” They took a pencil out of their pocket and drew a picture of a fish on the paper in front of them. They then held it up for the clubroom to see. “It doesn’t mean anything. But I wanna help.”

“That’s really nice of you.” Ruby grabbed a piece of paper beside her. “Maybe this has to do with Astrid. It’d make sense to me. They probably haven’t seen each other in ages. Maybe something’s going on because of that.”

Colston nodded as she spoke. “Yeah, that’s definitely it. There’s some beef goin’ on between ‘em.”

Hyun-a looked over to Colston. “I think it’d be a good idea if we approach Dennis about it.”

“Nah, I don’t think so. We barely even know this Astrid girl. It’s somethin’ between those two, anyway. They’ll fix it themselves.”

“Alright then.”

Alicia reassured, “Dennis gets over things very easily. I don’t think it’ll be a huge problem.” She murmured to herself, “At least, I hope it won’t be…”

*****

“You’ve changed, like, a whole lot, Dennis.” Astrid questioned, “Why’re you acting so weird around your lovely girlfriend?” 

“It’s gonna be hard to explain. But I’m just tryna have fun.”

Astrid was taken aback by his statement. “What do you mean? Haven’t you been having fun all this time~? You should be even happier since I’m here!”

“Yeah, but… that’s the problem.” 

“...What?”

An expression of sincerity crossed Dennis’ face, as he stood against the wall. “At first, I was forced to come over here because of a… f-family emergency. After that happened, don’t you remember what else went on when I came back home?”

“Yup! Why?”

“I… I don’t wanna be reminded of my home ever again. I don’t wanna go back there, and I wanna stay here.”

Astrid raised her eyebrow. “Oh, I get it, so I’m reminding you of your home from back then. So what? Aren’t I a good thing?”

“I’m glad you’re my girlfriend! I really am, but… things don’t feel the same as they used to. Ever since I came back here, I’ve just had to hide everything that happened and tried to forget, but I guess I’m just bad at that now.”

“...You’ve been trying to forget about me all this time?” Astrid’s expression dropped. “Ever since you came back here from home? That’s why you wanted to stay in Missouri again? So you could forget about me?”

Now Dennis was starting to get a little pissed. “You’re acting like what happened to Granny meant nothing. I’m just trying to make friends, be in clubs, and have fun. Is that a problem for you?”

“Well, if it means that you’re trying to avoid me, then maybe it is.”

“This isn’t all about you! All you care about is if ‘Astrid the Great’ can stay with Dennis Jansen, but that’s just… that’s not what I want.”

“Okay, so all of those compliments you said earlier meant nothing?”

“I don’t even hate you. I just wanna take a break from you, Granny, and everything else that happened.”

“If it really means that much to you, tell me exactly what happened, Dennis. Tell me everything that happened.”

“Well…” 

At that moment, Dennis couldn’t speak. It felt like his heart had stopped beating. Time had frozen.

“...What even happened?” 

He took a step away from Astrid, sweat beginning to fall from his forehead.

“Dennis, no…” She reached out her hand towards him. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.” She gently cupped his face, wiping the tears that began to fall from his face. “I’m sorry, Dennis.”

“Astrid?” Dennis said, the shakiness of his breath saddening the girl before her.

“Dennis, mark my words, okay? Can you remember this?” Astrid faced him with a sincere expression. “I’ll keep up my act.  _ We’ll  _ keep up our act. You have to do your best too. Keep pretending that nothing happened, because nothing ever did. You’re loved at this school. Everyone loves you. Please remember that. Things have always been that way. Don’t let anything else keep you from believing in that reality. It’s  _ our  _ reality, and the reality you deserve to live in.”

Dennis slowly nodded in understanding, sniffling as Astrid stepped away. “Okay. I’m sorry I made you worried.”

“Don’t apologize.” 

But he  _ wanted _ to apologize. He wanted to apologize to all of the lives he inconvenienced. But he wanted to apologize to them for putting all of their time into hating him. It was useless, right? Wasn’t he much more than that?

What did they even say? What even happened? 

What was real?


	31. Aspirations, Promises, and Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The club hosts a Christmas party and invites their friends to come along. Meanwhile, hard-to-swallow truths are revealed about the school and its rumors.

“Check out all the Christmas decorations!” Lisa exclaimed. “It’s so pretty out here!"

“You’re right!” Alicia agreed. “I can’t believe it’s already almost Christmas. Time really flew by, didn’t it?”

“That’s perfect for me,” said Dennis. “Every Christmas, my mom makes a bunch of carrot cake, and I can eat as much as I want! It makes me wish that every day was Christmas!”

“That sounds nice. I normally just hang out with my bro and everyone else, and go to a friends’ party. Everyone’s wearing really fancy clothes, and there’s usually an all-you-can-eat buffet.”

“That’s a rich people party! I’m jealous!” Lisa snickered, “Heh, feel free to invite me this year if you can.”

“I don’t think you’ll be allowed, but I’ll try and ask them!” Ruby added, “But if I’m gonna be honest, it gets a little boring. I get to talk to Rudy, but that’s about it. The party is just old people talking to older people. I wanna do something different, y’know?”

“I know how you feel,” Alicia stated. “All I really do is what I usually do. I wanna try asking my mum if we can go out somewhere.”

“Whaddya mean? We could just walk around here the entire holiday!” Dennis ran up to a storefront. “Isn’t that exciting? Plus, we could just ask Ruby for some money, and visit every single restaurant here!”

“I don’t wanna die from an overload of food yet,” Ruby joshed. “But speaking of money, do any of you know how much an inflatable Santa costs?”

“Around fifty bucks,” Lisa replied. “Pfft, what, do you believe in him or something?”

“I don’t. I was just thinking of buying one for Colston, that’s all. I think he’d like it.”

Dennis blurted, “Oh yeah, we gotta get gifts for everyone! Wait… or do we?”

“We don’t have to. I just feel like giving everyone a little something!”

“Hmm… I don’t know what I should buy. I’ll think about it,” Alicia said.

“How are we even gonna get the presents to everyone, though?” Lisa asked. “Everyone’s gonna be at their house for the holidays. It’ll be impossible!”

Dennis suggested, “Ooh, I have an idea! Maybe we can have a party of our own a couple of days before Christmas Eve! We can do whatever we want, and it’ll be awesome! We can even invite our classmates to make it even more exciting!”

“That sounds pretty fun! I’m all for that! Where do you think it should be?”

“Meh, I dunno. Your house? I mean, y’all are rich and all.”

“I don’t think I can bring anyone over. Some of my family members are here for Christmas.”

“Ohh, okay! Hmmmmm….”

“Y’know, you guys could come over to my house!” Lisa bragged, “It’s pink, we have a bunch of--”

“Let’s go to Alicia’s house!”

“W-Wait, why mine?” asked Alicia.

“You don’t seem to be busy at all! Plus, your house is, like, super neat!”

“Uh… my mum won’t allow anyone I don’t know to come over. So if it were at my house, you guys wouldn’t be able to invite your other friends.”

“Aww man, that’s lame… oh my god, wait, let’s have the party at my house! Then, my mom can make a bunch of carrot cake for you guys! Whaddya think?”

“I’m in,” Ruby said. 

“Sounds fun. I actually haven’t been to your house in a while,” Alicia chimed in.

Lisa scoffed, “W-Well, if you insist, then… let’s have the party there, I guess.”

“Alright!” Dennis exclaimed, “It’s gonna be epic! I’ll invite all of my friends! Y’all better do the same! It’s gonna be a full house!”

“What would we do, though?” Ruby asked. “I have some board games I could bring from my house, but that’s about it.”

“Board games are boring,” Lisa whined. “We need to have, like, a proper party! Movies, popcorn, balloons, a bunch of food, games, and, ooh, best of all, karaoke and dancing! A party isn’t a real one without those things!”

“I guess you’re right.” Alicia said. “I just hope it isn’t too crowded. I’m fine with the people, but it might get a little… crazy.”

Dennis bantered, “Hey, if you’re ever overwhelmed, then just blame Lisa!”

Lisa pouted, “What?! Why me?!”

“Hey guys, I’m back!” Astrid ran out of the bathroom. “What did I miss?”

“Yo!” Dennis greeted. “We were talking about having a Christmas party at my house next week. Wanna come?”

“Do I wanna come? Hell yeah! I haven’t been to a proper party in ages! I already can’t wait!”

“Perfect! I’m gonna ask my mom now.”

“Is she gonna say yes?” Ruby asked.

“Of course! She isn’t really the strict type. In fact, he’s wanted to meet y’all for the longest time! I bet that she’ll be excited, too! ...As long as y’all don’t trash the house.”

“Ahah…”

Dennis texted his mother. It didn’t even take that long for her to answer back, as if she was literally holding the phone in front of her at all times, but that wouldn’t be unexpected for her. “She said yes! She also said that she can help with the decorations and all of that. She used to be a party planner, so I guess that’ll come in handy too, right?”

“Nice, nice! So now, we just gotta make some invitations. Should we go up to the others first? I feel like we wouldn’t have to send invitations to them.”

“Yeah! We’ll make ‘em for people who aren’t in the club.”

“I’m gonna invite Miette! She’s gonna love this party!” Lisa beamed, “Oh my god, and I’m gonna invite Hope and Summer, too! This is gonna be awesome!”

“I know, right? And I feel like we could turn this into a club tradition~!”

“Ahah, I hope that your mum won’t be too overwhelmed…”

The gang continued walking around and stopped by a restaurant, to the surprise of meeting two familiar faces.

Ruby pointed out, “Hey, look, Colston and Min-Jun are coming outta that restaurant. Maybe we should go up to them.”

“Oh, you’re right. There’s also someone else,” Alicia said.

Lisa took a good look at the unfamiliar face and squealed, “Oh my god, that grey haired guy is super cute! I’m gonna go talk to him!”

“Good luck!” Dennis cheered.

“Ah,” Astrid sighed of delight, “She’s gonna be just like the two of us.”

Dennis hesitantly cooed, “How romantic~!”

“Min! Colston! Hey there!” Ruby waved and ran up to them alongside the others.

“Oh, ‘sup. I didn’t expect to see you guys here,” Min-Jun spoke.

“Same here,” Colston chimed in. “The three of us were getting lunch.”

“Oh yeah, who’s that other guy?” asked Ruby.

Kieron walked up to her with a drink in hand. “I have a name. It’s Kieron. You’re Colston and Min-Jun’s friends, correct?”

“Yup, that’s us. Nice to meet ya, I’m Ruby. Right next to me is—“

“Lisa! It’s Lisa!” She piped, “Do you wanna go out on a date someday?!”

Kieron shook his head. “No thank you. I’m not interested in dating girls right now.”

“You gotta be kidding me…”

Dennis snickered, “Tough luck, Pink Girl!”

“Why are you calling me that now…?”

“Anyway, anyway, we’re gonna have a Christmas party at my house next week! Do y’all have any plans? It’d be great if you guys could come!”

“Hmm… I’d have to ask my dad,” Min-Jun replied.

Colston nodded. “We don’t have any plans, so I can go. How many people are going?”

“Well, y’all are actually the first people we’ve approached! But it’s gonna be huge! Everyone in the club, including our besties are gonna be there! ...I hope!”

Kieron asked, “And even I can go?”

“Yeah, of course! You’re Colston’s friend, aren’t ya? And, wait, do you know Yellow Guy, too?”

“Yes. I met up with Min-Jun for the first time today.”

Min-Jun sighed, “I’ve finally met another chill person…”

“Anyhow, I’d love to join. It sounds fun. Perhaps I can meet more of Colston’s friends, too.” 

Astrid hollered, “Awesome! We have three more people going, now!” 

“Yeah! This is gonna be so much fun!” Dennis added, “And, by the way you three, do any of y’all have any game suggestions?”

“Let’s see… I have a gaming console at my house. I play sports games with my mother.” Kieron cracked a smile. “I’ll try bringing that.”

“You have a console?” Min-Jun questioned. “You didn’t tell me anything about that. I like you even more already.”

“That must mean I’m making a good impression. That’s good.”

Colston replied, “I don’t have much at my house, but… I know how to cook a little. Maybe I can help with that.” 

Dennis exclaimed, “Then that means you, Rudy and Hyun-a can be the cooking trio! Perfect!”

“Wait, what? Really?”

“Totally! Can you make carrot cake?”

“Uh… I’ll try.”

“Thank god! This day just got even better~!”

“I’m surprised that Min isn’t even against the idea,” Lisa remarked. “Heh, I totally thought that he’d be yelling at us by now.”

Min-Jun raised his eyebrow. “Do you want me to?”

“...No.”

“What, do you seriously think that I’m gonna get angry over literally nothing now? Is that a thing?”

Lisa smirked. “I just thought it was a part of your personality. But now you’re being a huge softie.”

“I-I am not! It’s not like the party is gonna be bad or anything, so it’s fine!”

“Sure, sure.”

“We have to head home now,” Kieron reminded.

“Oh yeah, you’re right,” Min-Jun said. “See you guys later.”

Astrid waved goodbye. “See ya~!” 

Kieron, Colston and Min-Jun walked away.

“Alright, so, next, we gotta text everyone else, and tell ‘em to invite people they know,” said Ruby.

“It already seems like this is gonna be a huge party. I’ve never really been to one of these before.” Alicia murmured, “I’m a little nervous…”

“Don’t worry!” Dennis assured, “If anyone tries to hurt you, I’ll slice ‘em in half!”

“T-That’d make you a murderer! Please don’t do that!”

He then looked over to Astrid with an uncharacteristic glare, silently asking her to come with him for an important discussion. She nodded in reply. 

Dennis felt the need to inform them. “We’ll be back in a second! Astrid and I are gonna have an important session~!”

“Ew,” Ruby jokingly said aloud. But she instantly regretted it.

_Wait, did that sound too mean? That sounds like something Lisa would say. But, no, it wouldn’t… I should probably apologize, it wasn’t even that funny anyway. Maybe I should shut up…_

As Ruby remained lost in her persistent thoughts alongside Lisa and Alicia, Dennis and Astrid stopped by a darkened alleyway.

“...So,” Dennis began with anxiety, his wavering voice giving him away, “I don’t exactly remember everything that happened the other day. Y’know, when you came to the school and we talked. I only remember a minor detail of it, so what else did we talk about, again? Something about reality and—?”

“Don’t say it!” Astrid hastily sealed his mouth with her hands. 

Dennis let out a muffled, “Hey, Astrid?!”

“Just don’t say it.” At that moment, she felt pressured to tell a white lie. “I actually can’t go to the party next week. I forgot that I’m gonna be busy with my family.”

“Silly, you’re never busy with your—“

“I _am_ next week!” _For the sake of you,_ she wanted to add. She finally released Dennis. “I’m sorry I can’t go, I know you were excited and everything, but I just can’t.”

Still unable to process the situation, Dennis nodded otherwise. “That’s okay. At least I get to spend time with you before that!”

“Yeah…”

In spite of the wide grin he put on for the sake of lifting Astrid’s spirits, it was all a facade. Well, maybe only a little bit. He couldn’t put his finger on exactly _what_ happened the other day, but he knew he had to keep an act up for _something_ , so he didn’t have a choice but to try and understand. But his overall disposition suffered in the process. It made him realize things he never had before.

*****

One week later, Ruby, Lisa and Alicia gathered at Dennis’ house, as he continued to stay inside the bathroom for another hour.

“Geez, hurry up, Fanta!” Lisa repeatedly banged on the door. “It shouldn’t take an hour to get ready!”

Dennis hollered from inside the bathroom, “What do you mean? It takes you three hours to get ready for stuff! You’re the last person who got here!”

“Boys are sloppy! It should only take them a minute!”

“I need to make sure that I’m wearing the perfect outfit. You gotta dress right for a Christmas party; ain’t I right~?”

“I’m gonna head to the front door. People are gonna wanna see me when they walk in, after all!” Lisa walked out of the hallway.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Alicia were standing by the kitchen counter alongside Dennis’ mother Mila, preparing and double-checking the food.

Mila piped, “All of you are so, SO lucky to have Dennis as your little buddy! Tell me, how fun is it at school with him?”

“He’s definitely very… lively,” Alicia replied. “Not in a bad way. He’s helped us out a lot.”

Ruby nodded along. “I agree! He’s been with us for a year, by now. And thanks to him, we were able to meet Aqua!”

“That’s wonderful! I’m glad to know that my little star is being the amazing son he is!” Mila grasped her checklist for the party and tore it in half. “I bet things would’ve been _tearable_ without him!”

“Ahah…” 

_Like mother, like son._

The doorbell suddenly rang, and Lisa rushed to the front door, accidentally tripping on her way there. “I-I’m coming! I’ll open the door!” She opened the door and bore a wide grin. “Hey, welcome to the…! Mimi! Hope! Summer!”

The trio walked inside the house, as Miette closed the door behind them. “Hello, Lisa!” She glanced at Lisa’s festive attire. “Your shirt is so cute! It looks so cute!”

“Thanks!” 

“She doesn’t actually mean that,” Summer remarked, “She just wants to steal your shirt.”

“Huh?”

“Of course I mean it!” Miette faked a chuckle, “Summer, you’re so funny!”

Summer rolled her eyes good-naturedly. “I’m not even tryna be funny, though.”

Hope gasped as her eyes darted across the living room. “Is that kid named Dennis here?! What about Rudy?!”

“Well,” Lisa replied, “Dennis is here, but Rudy—“

“Where’s Dennis?!”

“In the bathroom. He’s a boy, so he’s probably playing some stupid video games in there. Not exactly a prince…”

“That’s fine! He’s perfect!” 

“Really…?”

“Of course! He’s the epitome of perfection! A real dark-horse!” 

“I don’t see it.”

Lisa, Miette, Hope and Summer walked into the kitchen.

Ruby looked up. “Oh, the girls are here! Hey!”

“‘Sup,” Summer greeted.

Alicia muttered, “O-Oh, people are already here…”

Mila walked up to the guests. “Welcome, welcome! We just finished setting everything up! Would you like to have a snack?”

“I’m gonna wait until everyone gets here,” Miette stated, as Hope and Summer nodded along.

“Alright then! Well, let’s turn on the TV, shall we? Y’all can’t be bored before the party starts!”

“I’m in for some TV.” Summer walked over to the living room.

“I wanna go outside.” Ruby asked, “Do you guys wanna come, too?”

“Yeah, of course!” Miette grabbed Lisa’s hand and pointed to the door leading outside. “Come on, Lisa!”

“Wait, I need to tie my shoes!” Lisa hastily bent down, Miette looking down at her and waiting out of anticipation.

Ruby looked over to Alicia. “What are you gonna do?”

“M-Me?” Alicia stammered, “Uh…”

“Maybe you can become friends with Summer. Wanna watch TV with her over there?”

“Uh…” If she was a friend of Ruby’s, then it probably wouldn’t be too bad. “Yeah, I guess.”

“Alrighty!” Ruby walked outside along with Miette and Lisa, as Alicia walked to the couch and sat next to Summer.

“Uh… hi,” she greeted.

Summer turned to face her. “Oh, wassup.”

_Is she one of Ruby’s friends? She looks kinda cute._

“What’s your name?”

“It’s Alicia. Your’s is Summer, right?”

Summer nodded. “Yup, that’s me. Nice to meet ya.”

“Y-You too. Uh…”

Welp, this is what she was worried about. Total awkwardness.

Summer began, “So, what’s your plan for the party? Like, what are you gonna do?”

“Well, uh… talk to my friends, I guess.”

“And that’s all? You’re not gonna try to hook up with someone, steal the food, or even play outside?”

“...I’d rather do that last thing other than being a thief. But…”

“But?”

“...But it’s not like I really know Miette or that other girl. And there’s going to be more people I don’t know, too. I’m not scared of them or anything, but… what if I don’t know what to say? I’m terrible at starting up conversations.”

“Just talk to them like you are with me right now. That shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I guess not…”

“You look like the kinda person who obsesses over everything. Don’t let it spread to me.”

“Okay…”

*****

Hyun-a and Min-Jun were in Rudy’s room.

“I don’t know, doesn’t this look too fancy?” Rudy wondered.

“It looks fine to me,” said Min-Jun. He turned to Hyun-a, who was shaking. “...Hyun? Are you good?”

“GOD!” Hyun-a’s nose shot out blood as she hastily grabbed her phone and took a hundred snapshots of Rudy. 

“Not again.”

“It’s perfect! Just perfect! Rudy, can you try on something else?! How about a suit and a tie?!”

Rudy whimpered, “...Why?”

“You can pull off just about anything! I knew it! You look so… so…!” Hyun-a dropped her phone and put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t contain myself for a bit there.”

“Stop going fangirl mode,” Min-Jun advised, “You’re gonna die of blood loss. Rudy, just wear whatever the heck you want.”

Rudy slowly backed away. “O-Oh, okay.” 

“Anyway!” Hyun-a beamed, “This is a Christmas party we’re going to, so I think we should grab the opportunity to wear santa hats.”

Min-Jun crossed his arms. “No way. We’re gonna look stupid with those.”

“Aww, don’t be such a party-pooper! We’re unleashing our festive sides.”

“I don’t wanna unleash my ‘festive side.’”

“Whatever you say, grumpy face. Mister Myers, what do you think? Wanna wear one?”

“I think I’ll pass,” Rudy replied. 

“Phooey. Oh well, I guess I can’t force ya. So, you remembered the presents, right?”

“Of course. I already wrapped all of them with Ruby last night.”

“Alrighty then! We should probably start heading to Dennis’ house, then.”

“Wait a minute…” Min-Jun spoke, “Do you have the right address?”

“Yeah! I sent it to Uncle Jae. He’ll take us there in no time.”

“I sure hope so.”

*****

As time passed, the remaining Anime Club members (exempting Rudy, Hyun-a and Min-Jun for some reason) had arrived at the party, along with their friends. They all decided to go outside, and Alicia noticed that Nagisa was making a snowman with Ruby.

She thought to herself, _Maybe I can take this opportunity to talk to Nagisa. Yeah… I’ll just go over and—_

Suddenly, a snowball hit her face out of nowhere.

“W-Wha…? Who did that?!”

Dennis waved. “Hey, Aqua, let’s have a snowball fight! The loser has to take off their clothes!”

“W-What?!”

Colston rolled his eyes. “Isn’t that a bit too extreme?” He muttered to himself, “Hm, if Rudy were here, he’d probably be telling him off by now.”

Kieron shook his head. “I’m not participating. I’d rather not do something as silly as that.” 

Lisa blurted, “Says the person who’s making a snowman!”

“It requires deep concentration and the understanding of complex structures. You wouldn’t understand. Now, if you excuse me, I’ll—“

“Nah, you’re in this, Dyer!”

“Don’t call me such a weird nickname.”

Lisa and Dennis snickered and both chanted, “Dyer! Dyer! Dyer!”

“Oh gee, I wonder what’s gonna happen,” Summer remarked. “...One… two… three.”

“Now you’ve done it.” Kieron gathered a handful of snow and repeatedly threw snowballs at Dennis and Lisa like rapid fire. 

“You go, grey-haired kid!” Miette cheered, “You got this! Beat ‘em up real good!”

Lisa whined, “Wait, I thought you were on my side, Mimi!”

“Oh no, Kieron’s gonna murder me! I’m so scared~!” Dennis teased, “Ducking probably won’t be a problem for you, Lisa! You fall all the time! Lucky you~!”

“That’s not—“ Lisa got hit in the face with a snowball and fell to the ground. 

“How do you like that?” said Kieron, as he bore a smirk. “Wanna keep messing with me?”

“It’s on!” Dennis charged at him and tripped, falling to the ground face-first.

“...That was fairly easy.”

Alicia, Colston, Miette and Summer clapped for him in the background, celebrating his victory.

Ruby widely grinned and chuckled. She looked over to Nagisa and asked, “Hey, do you wanna join them?”

Nagisa nodded in reply. “Maybe. What about you?”

“Nah, I’m good. I was gonna go back inside, anyway. I’m starting to get a small headache.”

Nagisa hesitantly questioned, “...Have you eaten anything?”

Ruby let out a sigh and scratched her head. “Well, uh… I haven’t really been eating _that_ much, but I’m fine, I promise!”

“Are you sad?”

“Nah, I’m not sad or anything. I just feel kinda off. I’ll get better though, I swear.”

“Does it have to do with what I think it does?”

“...A little. But I’m thinking of getting some stuff off my chest when Rudy gets here. It’s Christmas, after all! I gotta be in high spirits! And you do, too!”

“Yeah.” Nagisa cracked a smile. “I’ll go inside with you. Let’s have hot chocolate. Then we can watch a fish documentary.”

“Yeah, totally! I forgot that we have the TV all to ourselves! Lucky us, am I right?” 

“Mhm.” Nagisa walked up to Ruby and placed their lips on her cheek. “...There. So we can watch it for the rest of the day.”

Ruby giggled at the sudden display of affection. “Yeah, that’d be great! I’m really glad that I get to spend time with you. If you didn’t come to this party, I wouldn’t have known what to do!”

“Don’t you have Lisa and the other girls? They’re cooler.”

“I guess I do, but in my opinion, you’re even cooler.”

“Well… you’re cooler than how cold it is now.”

“...And now we’re both cooler ‘cuz you mentioned that! Ahh, it’s freezing!” Ruby shivered and rubbed her hands together. She then held Nagisa’s hand as they walked back inside. “We should’ve gone back inside a long time ago.”

“True.” Nagisa closed the door behind them, finally escaping the cool temperature.

Meanwhile, Colston observed the two and lightly chuckled. “Wow, what a lucky bunch those two are. Sucks that I’m single.” 

“It’s not fair,” Lisa grumbled. “Hey, Coal, can I ask you something?”

“... _Meh, I’m used to that nickname._ Yeah, what is it?”

“What do you see when you look at me? Don’t you see a super cute and lovable girl? Don’t you see a girl who’s deserving of a hot boyfriend?”

“Hmmmmm… I dunno, do I?”

“Ugh.”

“I’m being sarcastic. What do _you_ think?”

“Uhh…” Well, Lisa hadn’t given it much thought. “Actually, I dunno. I know I’m cute and all, but why don’t boys think I’m the embodiment of a perfect girlfriend? Do they just not see it in me?”

“Well, everyone’s tastes are different.”

“Hey! Are you saying that only a few people in this world find me attractive?!”

“No, that’s not what I said at all. And maybe you’re just, uh… how do I say this?”

“You’re stuck in a whole ‘nother world,” Kieron bluntly commented. “Do you actually think you're ‘cute,’ or did a single person say that to you and you immediately believed it, and wanted to prove that to everyone else?”

“Isn’t that a bit rude?”

“I’m only being real with her. Besides, I understand her situation.”

Lisa raised her eyebrow and stared at him confusedly. “My ‘situation?’ Huh? What do you mean?”

“I… I’m bad at explaining things. You’ll understand eventually, however.”

“U-Uh, if you say so, Blueberry.”

“That nickname was unnecessary.” 

Alicia continued to observe the area as she slowly made her way to Summer, quietly standing next to her. 

_I missed my chance to talk to Nagisa, but… Summer and Miette don’t seem busy at all. Maybe I can talk to them instead._

“Uh… H-Hey! What’re you guys doing?”

“Oh,” Miette greeted, waving her hand, “Heyo! We were just talking about super girly stuff.”

Summer crossed her arms. “No, we weren’t talking about that stuff at all. We were talking about that Serena girl.”

Miette whispered in Summer’s ear, “Don’t mention that right now. We’ll talk about it later.”

“Mhm, sure.”

“Anyway, Alicia, did you wanna tell us something?”

Alicia nodded. “Yeah, kinda. I just wanna get to know you guys better, since you’re Ruby and Lisa’s friends... I guess…”

“You seem really nice! You’re also, like, super cute, too!”

Alicia lightly chuckled at the unexpected compliments. “Ahah, thanks…”

Summer inquired, “So, how’s the Anime Club? Do you even like it?”

“Well… it was a bit scary at first, but it’s pretty fun.”

“It’s not even boring? Don’t y’all just talk the entire time?”

“For me, instead of boring, it’s… fun. I mean, this kind of thing is pretty new to me. I haven’t really made friends like this before, so…”

“Cool beans. But…” The tone of Summer’s voice had dropped. “Have you noticed anything weird lately? Like, do you get the feeling that someone’s constantly watching you?”

“Uh, no… do you?”

“Just wondering. There’s something strange going on with your club.”

“What do you mean…?”

Miette giggled and patted Summer’s back. “C’mon Summer, stop being so weird! You’re gonna scare the poor girl, y’know!”

Summer huffed and backed away from Miete. “I’m not scaring her. I’m asking questions. Important questions.”

“Hmm? Oh!” Miette maliciously glared at Summer. “...I know what you’re tryna ask her. I’m pretty sure I said that we were gonna talk about Serena later, though.”

“Yeah, you did.”

“Soooo, shouldn’t we just go inside and leave Alicia out of this? It’s none of her business.”

“Oh yeah? What if it is?”

Miette only stared at her more intensely than before, all with a suspicious wide grin plastered on her face, whispering, “Talking to her would not only ruin the plan, but be a total waste of time. You already know what’s gonna happen.”

Summer reluctantly nodded and averted her eyes. “...I do.”

_But you can’t boss me around._

“...Just go inside. I’ll be there in a bit.”

“Oh, okay!” Miette enthusiastically ran back inside and shut the door.

Alicia blinked owlishly out of confusion. “Uhm… is everything okay? I interrupted something, didn’t I…?”

“No, no, you’re good. I just gotta tell ya something, and quick.” Summer slightly bent down to Alicia’s level and whispered in her ear. “Just don’t be mad at Hyun-a for anything, no matter what, okay?”

“Huh? Why would I…?”

“Oh, and one more thing… something bad is probably gonna happen. Like… it’s definitely gonna happen. It’s not like that isn’t common for this school, but this directly involves you and everyone else in your club. And this probably won’t be the last time, either. So, just be ready to deal with it, okay? You can’t even act surprised.”

“I don’t understand…”

“You’ll get it. But promise that you won’t make a huge deal out of it, okay?”

“Uhh… I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but… yeah. I promise.”

Summer stepped away. “Okay, good. Sorry I kinda creeped you out a little there. I haven’t really been acting like myself lately. I guess I’ve just been on edge.”

“How come?”

“...I guess I just don’t wanna die. But isn’t death a common fear for, like, everyone?”

“D-Did something happen?”

“No, no, I just… It’s hard to explain. It’s gotten to the point where I can’t be my sassy self anymore. Now, isn’t that terrific?”

“I dunno…”

“Meh, whatever. It’s your decision if you wanna forget about what I said or not. I can’t force you to believe anything, so I’ll just leave it at that. Wanna come inside?”

“Uh…” Alicia nodded and smiled. “Sure, yeah. It’s getting pretty cold out here, anyway.”

“Epic. Let’s go, then.”

“Yeah.” 

_I wonder what she meant… Something bad is gonna happen? What would it be? Is the club gonna be taken down, or is it something else…? I don’t know who that Serena girl is, either… maybe something happened with her and Hyun-a. And speaking of Hyun-a, where is she? And where’s Rudy and Min-Jun? Are they coming at night?_

*****

Hyun-a, Min-Jun and Rudy left the car and stood before a storefront.

Min-Jun grimaced at the sight and tilted his head. “This is where the party’s gonna be…? Are you kidding me?” 

Hyun-a quipped, “Well, it certainly has plenty of personality.”

“Wait a minute…” Rudy looked over to Hyun-a’s phone. “Can you read over the text Dennis sent us for his address?”

“Yeah, sure.” Hyun-a pulled up the message and scanned the text. “...Oh.”

“What happened? Did you find it?”

“...He gave us the wrong address!”

“Huh?!”

Min-Jun confusedly stared at the phone’s screen. “What?! But how?!”

“He accidentally copied and pasted the address of a Bass Pro Shop and texted me the address to his house an hour later, but I didn’t get the notification because my phone was dead from taking all those pictures of Rudy!”

“...Hyun-a, how many pictures did you save on there, exactly?”

“A hundred.”

“W-What...?!” A dark red blush spread across Rudy’s face like wildfire as he rapidly backed away in shock and fear. “Y-You pervert! Do you save hundreds of photos of random people on your phone on a daily basis?!”

“Hmm, only of you guys.” Hyun-a widely smiled and spread her arms for a hug. “It’s just a way of expressing my love for the club!”

“I-I… You’re not allowed to take photos of us anymore.”

Hyun-a gasped and put her hand over her mouth. “What? But why?”

Rudy shuddered. “I don’t want them to feel uncomfortable…”

“What exactly do you think I do with those photos? I’m not a pervert!” 

“Normally I’d be annoyed by this, but this is actually pretty entertaining,” Min-Jun commented. 

Before Rudy could say anything, Hyun-a directly pointed her finger at him and smirked. “You’re the pervert for looking at those weird magazines!”

Rudy’s eyes nervously darted around the area. “W-What are you talking about?”

“Heh, Min-Jun told me. Y’know, those magazines with the hot guys—“

“T-That’s not important right now!!” 

Min-Jun raised his eyebrow. “Hold up, I never told you anything about that.” 

Hyun-a shrugged. “What do you mean? I totally thought you did, you liar.”

“No, for real, I didn’t say anything about that. How did you…?”

“Oh, then I guess I have a mother’s intuition~!”

“What are you gaining from accusing me like that?” Rudy looked downwards out of embarrassment and twiddled his thumbs. “A-Anyway, just stop taking those photos, please.”

Hyun-a let out a sigh and frowned. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I just can’t help it, y’know? Like… how do I explain this?” She stroked her chin. “Well, ever since I met Colston, I guess I’ve just felt like I can let it all loose a little bit more. It was thanks to him that I joined the club too, and I’m honestly really surprised you guys even let me join in the first place.”

“Huh?” Rudy finally turned around. “You’re surprised about that? How come?”

“Well, I wasn’t the _best_ person, and it took, like, way too much effort for me to fix things before even joining. So, I guess I’m just really grateful.” She walked up to him and held his hands. “I wanna express that through my love, y’know? Like, all of you are so sweet, nice, precious, adorable, and—“

“S-Slow down!”

“I’m sorry, I just can’t help it! So please… for the sake of me, can you _please_ let me keep fangirling?”

“Uhh…”

“Pretty please?! I’ll ask for consent when I take pictures!”

“You’re making yourself sound like a creep,” Min-Jun remarked.

“You’re so mean!”

At that moment, Rudy finally gave in. “...Sure, I guess.” He smiled and nervously chuckled. “Just don’t be weird about it.”

“O-Okay! Of course!”

_Rudy smiled at me…!_

Little did he know that he had just made the biggest mistake in his entire life.

“Yeah, yeah, anyway…” Min-Jun hollered, “How are we gonna get to Dennis’ house without a car?! Dad already drove away ages ago! The party is probably an hour away from here!”

Hyun-a scratched her head and pulled out her phone once again. “Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

“How?!”

Rudy took a look at Hyun-a’s phone screen. “Sorry, I’m just checking something, but…” He observed the text message and let out a sigh. “I recognize this neighborhood. It’s not that far, so let’s walk.”

Hyun-a whined, “We’re gonna walk all the way there…?”

“No complaining.”

“Oh well. I was just hoping that we could listen to music on the way there, but without a car, that’s impossible.”

“That’s the only problem?” Min-Jun inquired, “Then, what did you wanna listen to?”

“Evanescence.”

“No.”

“I thought you liked edgy music, though.”

“N-No, I don’t.”

*****

Kaitlyn made her grand entrance into the kitchen and exclaimed, “What’s up, party people—!” She accidentally bumped into Lisa as they both fell to the ground. “...Ow.”

“Khhhhh—!” Lisa winced in pain as she stood back up. “Hey, who did that…?” 

Kaitlyn stood back up and groaned, “You should’ve watched where you were goin’, Pinkie.” 

“K-Kaitlyn? It’s you again?!”

“Yup, that’s right! The one and only. Were you expectin’ someone else?”

“I thought you’d be coming with Hyun-a or something!”

“Well, for some reason, she ain’t here yet, so I guess I gotta hang out with the uncool people for a short while. Oh well.”

“Am I cool, at least? Cute, even?”

“Hmm. Nah, you’re not really my type, anyway.”

“Oh.”

Rejection. Ouch.

“Oh,” Dennis greeted, “Hey, redhead! Whatcha doing over here? The party’s over in the living room, y’know!”

“It smells good over here,” Kaitlyn replied. “Are y’all makin’ cookies or somethin’?”

“Yup! My mom and I just put ‘em in the oven. They’ll be done in a bit.”

“I came at the perfect time, then. _Good job, me.”_

Lisa gnawed her teeth and furrowed her eyebrows out of frustration. 

_I don’t have a problem with her being here, but… that just means I gotta try harder to be in the spotlight today! Alright, I can do this! If everyone likes me and goes with what I say, I can plan the party’s activities! Perfect…!_

“Heehee, you can stop plotting your evil scheme now, Lisa,” Dennis teased.

“Wha…?” Lisa resisted the urge to tell him off when the realization kicked in. “Wait, did you just call me by my real name?”

Dennis stayed silent and stared at her. “Huh? No I didn’t.” 

“How did you even know I was planning something? ...Which I wasn’t!”

“You always go ‘grrrr’ and pout whenever you’re plotting something. Oh, also, you tend to laugh a lot!”

“No I do not… or do I…?!”

“You do!”

“Oh my god, I do! I need to start being more discreet with this stuff! ...And by the way, I wasn’t plotting anything! I’m definitely not thinking about slowly becoming the host of this party and becoming Kieron’s girlfriend or anything!”

“Hmmmmm… is that so~?”

“Yeah! Totally!”

“...You’re being pretty weird, Lisa. Y’know, normally you’d be crazy about telling us about your plots and all that. Are you becoming hot ‘n cold?”

“What?”

“...Oh no, you’re turning into one of those rebellious kids!"

“N-No, I just… Okay, fine, I was telling the truth. I just don’t really feel like telling you guys anymore, okay? Besides, it’s not like you guys help me with my plans anyway. I-It’s everyone’s fault I’m still single, not mine!”

“Are you sure about that~?”

“What, are you saying that it’s my problem?!”

“Nope. I’m just tryna tell ya that we’ve actually helped you a whole lot with a bunch of stuff.”

“No you haven’t.”

“So there’s no other option? You’re just gonna blame us no matter what?” Dennis was feeling a bit ticked off, but he tried to ignore it so things wouldn’t escalate. “Man, you’re really ruining my vibe, dude!”

“Are you even taking me seriously? Why does nobody take me seriously?”

“Chill, I’m taking you seriously. And where’d you get _that_ from? People take you seriously, y’know.”

Lisa hesitantly blurted, “Well, what do you hafta say about the boys in class, huh?! No matter how hard I try, they won’t pay attention to me! It should be effortless!” 

“Not everyone’s gonna fall head over heels for you, man.”

“I’m tired of hearing that…”

Dennis began to get irritated but wanted to show no sign of that whatsoever. “Okay bro, I guess I have no say in anything. Good luck with getting a boyfriend!”

“...It’s not just about that, either.”

“Oh, so you’re thirsty for more~? What else do you need luck in?”

“Everything! Just… everything! I wanna win the talent show, I wanna become popular, and…!”

“Is that it?”

Lisa sighed and averted her eyes. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“Say, Lisa… why’d you join the club?”

“Why are you asking that now?”

“Well, you don’t seem like you’re too focused on making friends. I mean, Rudy told me that this is what the club used to be all about when you five first made it.”

“...Well, at first, I wanted someone to give me advice on my piano-playing, but once I recognized my super awesome talents, I just needed ‘em to finally notice that, too! I’ve always imagined playing my piano in front of all my friends, impressing them one by one, but… I feel like they don’t even care, but that’s just their problem. I could just be in the talent show!”

Dennis finally understood. And because of this, for the first time in a while, he felt _pissed._ No, more than pissed. “So, you just joined for praise, didn’t ya?”

“W-Well, don’t I deserve it at this point? I’m cute and responsible, and I’m even the co-leader!”

The usual cheerful tone of Dennis’ voice suddenly dropped. “Do you deserve it, though? Do you?” 

“...What? Uh…”

“Shouldn’t you figure that out on your own? You are yourself, after all.” 

Lisa crossed her arms. “So, you’re not gonna help me?” 

“Hey, I helped you with all kinds of other stuff. I’m trying my best here, dude. But in your eyes, I’m probably just lying to you, so forget what I said.”

“D-Dennis? You’re being really weird today…!”

“You’re one to talk.” Dennis sighed out of disappointment. “Just… think it over by yourself later on, okay? This is a party, and we’re supposed to be having fun. Leave your plan to steal the spotlight and hurt people for another day.”

“W-What…? I don’t—“

“Hey, Lisa!” Miette hollered from afar, “We’re gonna have a thumb war competition! It’s gonna be super fun!”

“Ooh, sounds fun!” Dennis walked out of the kitchen and turned around to face Lisa. “Are you coming?”

“...Yeah, sure. I’m coming. Just gimme a sec.” 

Dennis ran towards the living room and jumped onto the couch, as Lisa stood in place, lost in thought.

_He isn’t right, is he? I didn’t just join for praise or anything like that. I’m not conceited. He’s not right… I always am… aren’t I? I don’t need anyone to wish me good luck, anyway…! I can do things by myself! Failing is impossible for me!_

She began to make her way to the living room.

_If I keep this up, the whole school will love me. I don’t need help from the club. They’ve never even helped me in the first place, anyway. I’m gonna be popular, and it’ll all be the work of Lisa Nakahara! ...At least, it better turn out that way. But it will, right? Won’t it…?_

*****

“It’s a mess… it’s all just a huge mess…” Inaya paced around her room and succumbed to panic. “I don’t wanna let Ruby or Nagisa down, but this place is a mess! I can’t even find any clothes to wear! This is a disaster!”

Suddenly, she received a notification from her phone.

“Huh? Could that be them? Man, they’re probably wondering why I’m so late… I gotta apologize…” She picked up her phone and looked at the time. “Oh no, it’s already seven! Doesn’t the party end at twelve? I’ve already missed so much…” She pulled up the text and read it to herself.

_It’s from Ruby. ‘Hey, when are you gonna be here? We’re about to have a dessert. Take your time, though. I dunno if you’re busy or anything.’ I knew it…_

Inaya typed in reply:

_I have to clean my room. I’m so sorry! I’ll be there in a little bit, I promise!_

Once she received a thumbs up emoji from Ruby, she turned off her phone and laid it on her bed. “Alright, I gotta be quick with this. No distractions… stay focused… clean your room…”

“Sweetie? Aren’t you leaving?”

“AAH!” Inaya turned around and accidentally pushed her phone off the bed with her arm. “Dang it… Huh? Mom?”

“I thought you already left. Hasn’t the party started already? Your friends are waiting.”

“I know… can you help me clean this up?”

Her mother shook her head. “You’re already in highschool. You can do it by yourself.”

“But…! I’m never gonna get there in time!”

Seeing her own daughter’s pitiful expression took a toll on her. “...Look, I’d love to help you right now, but I’m trying to get through to your father.”

Inaya’s eyes widened. “You’re calling him? Has anything changed lately? Any news? Progress? Anything?”

“I know you’re excited, but… I don’t think so. But I’m trying my best, and while I take care of this, I want you to focus on getting to that party. I promise I’ll have some news for you when you come back. Alright?”

“Okay...” Inaya nodded as her mother left the room. She picked up her phone, placed it on her bed once again, and opened up her closet. 

_Even though not much has changed, I still need to keep thinking positive. Yeah… things are gonna change when I get back. Please..._

After ten minutes of cleaning up, Inaya wiped the sweat off her forehead and sighed deeply. “Finally, I did it. Now what time is it…?” She glanced at the clock. “Crap, I gotta go!” Before sprinting out of her room along with her purse, she stopped in her tracks and paused at her door.

_Wait, I can invite my friends, right? Would I even have enough time? Ugh, I should’ve thought about all of this sooner… I’ll remember next time for sure! I just gotta make it to the party!_

However, the ping of a notification halted her actions once again as she stepped out of the house. She held out her phone before her and checked to see what it was all about.

When the discovery was made, she broke out into a cold sweat, her breath wavering.

_...Oh no._

*****

“Hey kids,” Mila announced, walking inside the living room, “The cookies are ready! Feel free to grab some from the plate!”

Kaitlyn’s eyes sparkled. “Ooh, I’m gonna eat all of ‘em!” 

“Not if I get there first!” Summer ran into the kitchen and bumped into Kaitlyn, accidentally pushing her out of the way. “Oh, whoops.”

“You’re gonna pay for that!”

Miette called out, “Wait, what about the thumb war? I think Kaitie was supposed to be up against Kieron.”

“I’ll pass on the cookies,” said Kieron. “I need more time to prepare.” He shut his eyes and folded his hands on his lap, sitting on the couch. “...I can feel it now…”

“Dude, thumb wars aren’t that extreme, y’know.” Colston left his seat. “I’ll get some for ya. Have fun… preparin'.”

“I will…”

“Hmm, I’m still tryna find a movie we can watch,” Dennis mumbled, “But there’s literally nothing. I guess that’s my punishment for binge watching everything during our break.”

Lisa figured that to make things less awkward between them, she might as well try to converse with him. It had to sound natural. “Uh… I know some movies we can watch! I mean, I dunno if the others would like ‘em, but…”

Dennis turned to her out of curiosity. “What’re their genres?”

“Romance!”

“Hmm, I don’t think anyone likes that sorta thing, other than Rudy. Anything else?”

“I-It should be fine! I mean, wouldn’t they be okay with anything at this point? Let’s just watch the movie! Uh, I can tell you what it’s called!”

“Hmmmm…” Dennis smirked and shrugged. “Nah~!”

“Ugh…”

Nagisa rested on Ruby’s shoulder and closed their eyes. “I’m sleepy.”

“Already?” Ruby grinned. “Do you want any cookies or something? There’s a whole bunch over there. We might as well grab some before the others steal ‘em all.”

“No thanks.”

“Alrighty. Do you have any movie suggestions?”

“No. Lisa wouldn’t like what I choose, anyway.”

“Ohh…”

“Did somebody say ‘romance?!’” Hope dramatically sprinted towards the living room, halting for a few seconds to catch her breath. “I… I’m… hah… I’m all… I’m all for it…!”

Colston sat back down with a small plate filled with cookies. “You’re a bit late with the reaction.”

Kaitlyn pointed to Colston and grumbled, “Hey, give those back, you lump of coal!” 

“Haha, what a funny and accurate nickname.”

“Those were supposed to be mine! You know what you did!”

“I touched them first, so I claimed them first. Sorry.”

“...Wait, I have an idea!” Kaitlyn crossed her arms and bore a wide know-it-all grin. “Heh, we’ll see about that… I’ll go against you instead of that Kieron kid for that thumb war, and if I win, you’re gonna hafta give me everythin’ ya got!”

“I guess I’ll be in this too,” Summer remarked. 

“I don’t think we should be fighting over cookies…” Alicia insisted, “Why don’t we just share them with everyone?”

“Nah, that won’t make anythin’ fun!” Kaitlyn added, “So, do we have a deal, Coal?”

“Hell yeah.” Colston set down the plate on the counter. “It’s ass-beating time.”

“I prepared all for nothing,” Kieron sulked with a frown. “Disappointing.” He glanced at Miette. “However, he’s being more eager about this than I thought he would be. Why’s that?”

“I dunno.” Miette giggled, “All I know is that this’ll be fun to watch!” 

“The truth is,” Ruby commented, “He’s willing to do anything for food. Especially junk food. I’m so proud of him…”

“Ahah, that sounds like something his mum would say,” Alicia lightly chuckled. “Hyun-a would probably say that, too.”

Nagisa opened their eyes. “Hmmmm. Where is she?”

“Min-Jun isn’t here, either.” Kieron looked up at the ceiling in thought. “I wonder where he is.”

Dennis blurted, “Oh no, what if they got into an accident?!”

Ruby gasped, “Wait, that’d be really bad!” 

“I’m sure they’re perfectly fine.” Lisa shrugged. “I mean, it’s not like them to be late or anything, but it _is_ almost Christmas. Maybe there’s just a bunch of traffic!”

_Yes! If Rudy doesn’t end up coming, I’ll be the leader everyone can come to! That way, I can choose the movie, and the night will end how I want it to!_

“Eheheheh… heheh…”

Alicia stammered out, “L-Lisa’s turning into a villain!”

“It’s the signature evil laugh. I knew it.” Kieron stood up and ordered, “Colston, grab the salt.”

Lisa glared at him, wide-eyed. “Are you gonna try to exorcise me?! How dare you!?”

“Oh, yeah, sure,” Colston replied, “I just won anyway.”

“Khh…” Kaitlyn sighed and took a seat. “How is he so strong? That’s impossible! I ain’t acceptin’ this! I’m even older than you by a landslide!”

Summer shrugged and sat down on the couch. “Oh well, it’s not like I wanted those cookies anyway. So, what’re we gonna watch, again?”

“We don’t know yet, but we’re getting there!” Miette questioned, “Right, Dennis? You’ve found something, right?”

Dennis widely smiled. “Nope! Sorry, girlie!”

Lisa furrowed her eyebrows and groaned. “Ugh, just gimme the remote!” She grasped the remote and attempted to pull it from Dennis’ hands.

“Hey, don’t be so rough!”

“Remotes aren’t fragile, y’know!”

“I’m fragile~!”

“No you’re not!” 

Alicia urged, “Guys, calm down! Please!”

Miette, Hope, Colston and Summer chanted, “Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”

“Are y’all dumb, or what?!” Kaitlyn stood in between Dennis and Lisa. “Little kids…! Imagine fighting over a damn remote!”

“This remote is special! Only I can hold it!” Dennis tightened his grip on the remote, causing an even larger struggle for Lisa.

“Look who’s being selfish now! Just give me the remote and I can choose a movie!” Lisa grunted, “U-Ugh, you’re still just mad at me for no reason, aren’t you?!”

“Ahh, insult me more~!”

“No, you nasty!”

“I did not sign up for this.” Kieron shook his head out of disappointment. “Finding a calm environment is impossible, apparently.”

“Did y’all hear that?!” Kaitlyn forcefully pulled Lisa back. “Quit being babies!”

Lisa angrily bellowed, “Shut up! I don’t even know you!”

Somehow, those words angered Ruby the most. “Hey, hold it! We’re all friends here, and we’re gathered at this party for a reason. We’re supposed to have fun, remember?”

“Not everything is all happiness and rainbows, Ruby! You should’ve figured that out by now, unless you’re just faking your depression!”

“...Excuse me?”

“Wow,” Hyun-a said in a soothing tone, “What a lovely thing to walk into—“

“HYUN-A!?” Lisa, in a state of panic, let go of the remote and hastily backed away from Dennis. “Y-You guys are here! Ahah… ahahaha…!”

The entire room went silent, and everyone stood still.

“Hello.” Rudy put on a fake smile. “Looks like you’re all having fun. Mind if we join?”

Lisa slowly nodded her head. “...Yesssss…?”

Min-Jun didn’t even need to say any words to describe his disappointment. It was all in his expression. Spooky.

“I’m sorry,” Kieron relented, “It was my fault.”

“Yeah, it was all his fault for screamin’ the entire time,” Kaitlyn announced with a mocking tone.

“...You. I don’t like you.”

“It was all me!” Dennis babbled, “You see, I was hitting on Lisa, and she got mad at me, but it was my fault for doing it in the first place! I didn’t know that she didn’t wanna kiss me!”

Miette beamed, “Ooh, what a plot twist! I’m liking this!”

“Take video,” Summer suggested, nudging Hope’s shoulder.

“What the heck?!” Lisa placed her hands on her hips. “None of that happened at all! Are you delusional?!”

Hyun-a faked a laugh. “Aww, come on, you guys~! Has it been like this the entire time?”

Min-Jun rolled his eyes. “I bet.” 

“Wow, that’s hilarious!”

Lisa stammered out, “W-Well, Dennis started it, a-and—“

“No.”

“...Okay.”

*****

Hope, Kaitlyn and Rudy wept, as Hyun-a went to grab a tissue box.

“Why… Why did he have to die?” Hope whined between sobs, “This is more tragic than I thought it’d be!”

Kaitlyn wiped her face with her hands. “What is this…? It’s so cheesy!” 

Summer bore a smug. “Your tears are flowing.”

Meanwhile, Nagisa and Dennis were napping on the couch, and Kieron, Min-Jun and Colston stared at the TV with blank expressions. 

“This is boring,” Min-Jun commented, “How much is left of this movie, again?”

“There’s two hours left,” Kieron replied.

“Ugh… I wanna go home now.”

“Nah, that’s not true.” Hyun-a placed the tissue box beside Rudy and sat next to Min-Jun. “Didn’t you wanna come here super badly? You told me yourself on the way here.”

Min-Jun turned his head the opposite direction. “I-I didn’t say that.”

“Hmm, really? I thought that you were looking forward to seeing everyone.”

“N-No, that’s not what I…”

“You’ll get a lighter sentence if you just confess,” Colston teased.

“ _Confess?_ ” For some reason, Min-Jun looked straight at Kieron as that word was said, and he couldn’t figure out why. Why did he feel so weird? “...Ugh, fine, I _did_ wanna come here, but why does that matter so much?”

“I love it when you’re like that…” Hyun-a scooted closer to him. “Gimme a hug…”

“No.” Min-Jun only scooted away from her, but accidentally bumped into Kieron and ended up resting his head on his shoulder. 

“Hm?” This alerted Kieron. “Min-Jun, what are you doing?”

“U-Uh, nothing, sorry!” Min-Jun got up and lightly pushed Hyun-a off of him. “G-Get off of me!”

“Aww man, okay then. I guess you don’t wanna be affectionate with your amazing older cousin,” Hyun-a pouted.

“Stop talkin’, y’all!” Kaitlyn murmured, “I think they’re gettin’ to a major plot point. I ain’t missin’ any of this. Not after… what happened…” She sniffled once more and stole the tissue Rudy was holding.

Rudy whimpered, “I know we should be focusing on the movie, but that was extremely gross, Kaitie…”

Lisa suddenly blurted, “It’s almost here! The kissing scene…!”

“How do you know that?” asked Miette.

“I can predict when it’s gonna happen! That just goes to show how awesome I am at predicting romantic subplots.”

“Amazing! That’s my Lisa!”

Alicia stammered out, “W-Wait, they’re gonna kiss?! But they don’t even know each other! I mean… what if the other person is scary…?”

“My thoughts exactly,” Rudy reciprocated, “And not only that, but I’m worried about this movie’s rating. Kissing is PG-13 only!”

Colston lightly chuckled, “Are you sure about that…?”

Kaitlyn groaned and scooted up closer to the TV. “Y’all, stop talkin’, I’m tryna hear!”

Hyun-a shrugged it off. “Rudy, you’re the only person who would worry about that kind of thing.”

“I shouldn’t be the only person! Even Alici—I mean, Aqua is with me.” Rudy sighed, “Kissing shouldn’t be for childrens’ eyes…!”

“Wait, don’t they do that a lot in highschool?” Alicia shuddered, “I don’t wanna go to highschool anymore…!”

Lisa passionately declared, “Kissing is romantic! It’s beautiful! It’s the human’s most special way of displaying their love and affection!”

Kaitlyn snatched the remote and turned up the TV’s volume to a hundred.

“Ow, my ears! Turn that thing down,” Rudy warned.

Nagisa finally woke up and grimaced. “What’s going on? It’s loud…”

“Since we can barely hear each other now, let’s scream at the top of our lungs on the count of three!” Miette piped, “One, two—!”

“No. Just no.” Summer shook her head and nudged Miette’s arm. “You’re not destroying any more lives.”

All Min-Jun wanted was to ignore the chaos and keep their conversation going. “...I bet Rudy sees kissing all the time on his computer.”

Rudy turned bright red and rebuked, “N-No I don’t!”

“You sound just like Min,” Hyun-a commented, letting out a giggle.

“Hey,” Lisa demanded, joining in on the fun to tease Rudy, “Tell me the kind of stuff you watch!” 

“There’s no way I would watch something so indecent!” Rudy took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. “Go to Dennis about that. He admits it all the time.”

“Ooh, good idea!”

“...Don’t pick on him.”

“Hey, Dennis! Show us your search history!”

“Oi, Lisa!”

Nagisa mumbled to Kieron, “Are they watching a movie? Why is it loud?”

“I don’t know anymore.” Kieron shrugged. “I’m just as confused as you are. Do all of you usually joke around like this during club activities?”

“I wouldn’t know. It’s none of my business, anyway.”

“Hm?”

“Hey, stop blocking the TV!” Hope attempted to pull Kaitlyn down. “I can’t see anything! I wanna see the kiss!”

Kaitlyn groaned, “I… must… hear…” 

“Y’know…” Colston left his seat. “I’m gonna get some chips. Be right back.”

“Can you get some for me?” asked Min-Jun.

“Don’t you wanna come with me and avoid whatever the heck is going on over there?”

“At this point, it’s just entertaining. You go get our food.”

“If you say so.” Colston wanted to observe the chaos with all his being, but nothing is better than food, obviously.

Lisa shook Dennis to and fro. “Hey, Orangine! Wake up already!” She hesitantly added, “Uh, this is what you get for being such a meanie earlier!”

Rudy pulled her back. “Lisa, get off of him!” 

Summer just gave a half-hearted attempt. “Yeah, he needs his beauty sleep. Get off of him. Like, please.”

“I give up.” Kaitlyn sat down normally and paused the movie.

“No!” Hope’s hands slowly reached out towards the TV. “It’s gone… it’s all gone…”

Dennis finally opened his eyes. “...Huh? Oh, hey, Lisa! What’s up?”

Lisa inhaled and shouted, “Do you watch—“

Rudy covered Lisa’s mouth and forced a grin. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t important.”

Alicia relented, “Sorry we woke you up, Dennis…”

“Aww man, did I miss some beef?” Dennis hopped from the couch. “And speaking of beef, I’m hungry! Let’s eat something!”

“Leave it to Dennis to change the subject.” Hyun-a clapped, alongside Miette.

“Thanks y’all, I know I’m cool!”

Rudy turned the lights back on. “Well, I guess watching a movie wasn’t such a good idea. What can we do, now?”

Colston walked back inside the living room from the kitchen, holding a ton of bags of chips. “I’m back. Anyone want some?”

Dennis exclaimed, “Heck yeah! What an awesome thing to wake up to!” 

“Isn’t this your house? You could’ve just gotten those chips yourself.”

“You’re right, but it just feels nicer when someone brings stuff to you.”

“I know what ya mean.” Kaitlyn wrapped her arm around Hyun-a’s shoulders. “It’d be great if Hyun here could be my personal servant. She’d actually be a good one, y’know!”

“Ahah,” Hyun-a chuckled, “No thank you.”

Colston tossed the bags to everyone, kept three of them for himself, and sat back down, opening one of the bags and digging his hand through it. “This is the best way to have a party. You just need some food.”

“Interesting!” Miette beamed, “Next time, when I throw a party, there’ll be a huge buffet and everything! You guys better look forward to it!”

“That sounds fun.” Alicia widely smiled. “I’d love to go.”

“U-Uh, I can host a party, too!” Lisa boasted, “And it’ll be super cool! It’ll be the coolest party ever!”

Dennis suppressed the urge to groan out of disdain. “Oh, really? Neat plan!”

“Uh, anyway,” Summer refocused, “Are we gonna put on another movie, or what?”

“I don’t think we’d have enough time for that,” Rudy replied.

“Well, that sucks.”

“But…!” Hyun-a suggested, beaming, “I’m sure that Colston has a few ideas of his own. Right, Kid?”

“Huh?” Colston scratched his head. “Uh… hmm…” His eyes suddenly sparkled. “Oh, I have an idea! Kieron and I just started watching this really cool space documentary, and it only has a few episodes, so maybe before we leave, we can all binge watch it together. It’s shitty quality, but trust me, it has some real cool facts in there. For example, the first episode talks about the life cycle of a planet and how long it’ll take for the sun to reach the end of its life and explode, causing the near destruction of our solar system. I also have some more examples, but that would just spoil everything. So, what do y’all think?”

Dennis nodded along. “I couldn’t even understand most of what you said, but let’s do it!”

“Hell yeah.”

Min-Jun laid back onto the couch and relaxed as the others continued to converse. “Well, I guess that’s how we decide things now.”

“Your club is seemingly very lively.” Kieron faced Min-Jun. “I’m guessing that it’s like this every day.”

“Uh, well, kinda.” Min-Jun looked into Kieron’s eyes. “It’s just a bit more… _hectic_ here, but that’s just because there’s more people.” 

_His eyes are pretty. ...Wait, what am I thinking? I barely even know this guy._

“Everyone here seems very accepting. I’m glad.” Kieron cracked a smile. “It’s not often that I come across people like this. Maybe I’m starting to get lucky.”

As soon as he smiled, Min-Jun felt a gentle arrow pierce in his heart. He could’ve sworn his heart was beating faster than before. “U-Uh, yeah, maybe.”

_Why am I acting so weird? What the hell is happening to me?_

Alicia looked around the room. “Wait, guys, before we start, where’s Ruby?”

“Oh, Ruby disappeared!” Dennis gasped, “Oh my god, did she die?!”

“I-I hope not!” 

“Hmm…” Rudy walked out of the living room as he assured, “I’ll go and find her. You guys can start the show if you want.”

“Wait.” Nagisa quickly stood up and walked up to Rudy. “I wanna go with you.”

“Alright.”

Alicia watched them leave the room with a worried expression.

_I hope Ruby is okay. Lisa said some pretty extreme things to her a little while ago… Maybe she’s still upset about it._

*****

Rudy and Nagisa navigated the house and searched for Ruby, but to no avail. 

“Maybe we should ask Mrs. Jansen if she knows where Ruby is,” Rudy suggested.

Nagisa nodded in agreement. “Good idea. Where is she?”

“Probably in her room. I don’t wanna invade her privacy, though…”

“Let’s go, anyway.” 

“There’s no need for that.” Min-Jun walked up to them. “I already know where Ruby is. I found her.

Rudy turned around with a shocked expression. “Min? I thought you were hanging out with the others. You kinda scared me…”

“Sorry. The truth is, I kinda just wanted to look for Ruby, too. She looked really upset when we got here.” 

“I didn’t think that you’d care about that.”

“Obviously I would. I’m not cruel. She’s my best friend, and she has been for years.”

Nagisa cleared their throat and glanced at the duo. “...I have something to say.”

“What is it?” 

“I don’t know if she would want me to say this, but... it’s important. Very important.” Nagisa bore a sincere expression. “She told me that she feels… selfish. She’s been sad for a long time.”

“That’s exactly what I’ve been worrying about,” said Rudy. “I still don’t think she’s told our mom about it, either. And I don’t know why she’s so upset.”

“Can you try to guess, at least?” Min-Jun wondered. “I mean, she’s your sister. You’ve known her your entire life.”

“That’s the thing. She usually tells everyone everything, especially me, but for the past two years, she’s been really quiet about this one thing. I _do_ remember Dennis mentioning something that happened when they first met, though.”

“What was it?”

“Well, Ruby said that she wasn’t good at anything, apparently. She also said that she was going to give me an idea she used to have.”

“And that idea was…”

The trio stated in unison, “...The club.”

“That makes perfect sense.” Rudy facepalmed and sighed out of frustration. “I should’ve figured that out sooner. She’s my own sister…”

“She worries about you a lot,” Nagisa added. “She said that you were good at everything very often. I think she started worrying about everyone else a whole lot, too.”

“Sounds a lot like the Ruby she was back when we were younger…” Min-Jun groaned, “But back when we made the club, I thought things were different. I thought that she wasn’t gonna be so… miserable anymore.”

“She’s depressed.” Rudy frowned. “I still can’t believe it took me so long to figure out _why_. I feel terrible, but… all we can do now is help her.”

“Hmm…”

“Nagisa, I forgot, but do you remember what Lisa said to her earlier?”

Nagisa recalled, “I heard it all. Lisa said that she was faking her depression.”

“Oh, I get it. That was the trigger.” Min-Jun muttered under his breath, “Damn Lisa…”

“I know Lisa hasn’t been the nicest lately,” Rudy sighed, “But I’ll talk to her about it later. And now I understand why Ruby walked away.”

“...Y’know… what do _you_ think we should do, Nagisa?” 

“Huh?” Nagisa owlishly blinked confusedly. “Why me?”

“I mean, Ruby’s your girlfriend. And she’s talked to you about her problems more than she has with Rudy.”

Rudy nodded. “That makes sense.” 

“Well…” Nagisa looked up to the ceiling in thought. “...She told me that she wanted to get things ‘off her chest.’ I don’t think we should go to her at once. Not right now.”

“So, what should we do?”

“...She might be stressed. It’s Christmas, and she wants to relax. Maybe we should leave her alone for a little bit.”

“Yeah…”

“Well, let’s just go back, then.” Min-Jun exhaled. “I just hope she’ll fine.”

“Me too.” Rudy looked downwards in melancholy. “More than anything, I…”

Nagisa nudged his shoulder and attempted to cheer him up. “Colston wants us to see a space show. Let’s watch it together. Maybe there’ll be fish, too.”

Rudy chuckled and softly grinned. “Yeah, let’s go.”

*****

Lisa hollered, “Who wants to stand underneath it?!”

Kaitlyn crossed her arms and shook her head. “Nobody, girl. I should’ve gotten under there first, anyway!”

“You don’t deserve it!”

“Yeah I do!”

Dennis sang, “Ooh, the girls are fighting~!”

Rudy, Min-Jun and Nagisa walked in on the party’s guests standing around the living room, as Lisa stood by herself under the mistletoe, right by the fake fireplace.

Min-Jun cringed. “Uh… what the hell is going on here?”

“Don’t you know Christmas tradition? Someone’s gotta kiss me!” Lisa pouted, “Why’s nobody fighting over me?!”

“Oh my god, Rudy’s back!” Hope sprinted towards Rudy and squealed. “Kiss me! Do it right now!”

Rudy took a step back. “No…”

“Oof, tough luck, Hope.” Summer shrugged, “Oh well, I guess you’re heartbroken now. Time to—“

“What about me?!” Miette raised her hand. “I can be his girlfriend!”

“...Aaand, this is what happens when two fangirls come together. This was a mistake.”

“I’m sure Min-Jun would be up for it!” Hyun-a walked behind Min-Jun and pushed him towards Lisa. “Right, Min?”

Min-Jun rebuked, “No way! That’s not happening! Not in a million years!”

“This is entertaining.” Colston continued to eat his chips. “I could watch this for days.”

“This is entertaining for you…?” Kieron grimaced. “It’s disgusting.”

“Ahah. Well, do you think you can settle this?”

“Absolutely not. I don’t know how to resolve things like this. I’m not on drugs.”

“Wait, I know what to do,” Rudy announced. “Dennis, don’t you have a pet mouse?”

Dennis exclaimed, “Heck yeah I do! Mom takes care of him! Why? Do you find him hot or something?”

“Hmm…”

Everyone in the room suppressed their laughter as Lisa covered her hands with her mouth and gasped. “Rudy…? Don’t tell me…?!”

“Dennis, get the mouse, please,” Rudy ordered. “ _Then_ Lisa will have something to kiss.”

“WHAT?!”

“Oh, okay~!” Dennis sprinted to his mother’s room with a wide grin.

“Rudy, what the heck?! That’s disgusting!” Lisa scoffed, “I’m way too cute for animals! How dare you?!”

“It was our only option. Besides…” Rudy added in a gruff voice, “You said that you’d be willing to kiss anyone or anything a couple of months ago, so mice should apply.”

“N-No…”

“I got him!” Dennis held his pet mouse and walked towards Lisa. “I’d like for y’all to meet… Perry!”

“No…!”

Dennis laid him down on the floor and let him roam free. He then pointed towards Lisa. “You see that pink girl right there? Go and kiss her, Perry!”

“NO…!”

Perry ran up to her, and Dennis clapped out of excitement. “Go Perry, go! Cheer him on, everyone!”

“NO!” 

Dennis walked behind Lisa and pushed her downwards. “Have fun, Lisa!”

“NOOO—!”

The front door swung open, and Inaya hastily ran inside the living room, panting for air. “I’m… here…! Sorry I’m… haah… late! Where’s Kaitlyn…?”

Lisa glared at Inaya with a deadpan expression. 

_I know I was just about to lose my first kiss to a mouse, but… somehow, I’m still disappointed. Somehow..._

Inaya’s eyes immediately darted towards Kaitlyn. “There you are!” 

The redhead turned around to meet her gaze. “Oh, Inaya, you’re finally here.”

“I need to tell you something! Quick!” The sweat dripping from her forehead, the shakiness of her voice, and her frightened yet exhausted expression screamed _urgency_.

Kaitlyn quickly ran over to her. “Did somethin’ happen? Can you tell everyone else?”

“No.”

She nodded in understanding. “Okay. But you look exhausted, I’ll get you some water.” 

“Thank you…”

Kaitlyn patted her back and walked her over to the kitchen. “... _Shit_ ,” was all she could mutter.

*****

“I have some good news and some bad news,” Inaya prompted, as the duo stood within the spacious kitchen. “Which news do you wanna hear first?”

Kaitlyn crossed her arms. “Judgin’ by your entrance, I bet neither of ‘em are gonna be good, so spill the beans. Did somethin’ bad happen to you?”

“Actually, that’s the _opposite_ of the good news.” Inaya beamed with a grin, clear contentment in her voice, “The rumors about me have been dying out lately, but I found out about that not too long ago. The main part of the good news is that I have more info on the whole rumor situation in general.”

“But?”

“But…” Her excitement died down, a frown visible on her face. “That’s also a part of the bad news.” After a few seconds of silence in preparation to break the news, she informed with sincerity, “...Melanie made a private account on the website we use to talk to the other kids at school. She apparently only granted access to the kids she either knows, or have rumors constantly surrounding them at school.”

“I see.” Kaitlyn nodded. “Ain’t some of them sure to get upset at her, though? She _is_ hated, after all.”

“She _knows_ things. And because she’s hated, nobody wants to listen to her. In their minds, she’s a know-it-all and a snitch. But she knows about everything that’s going on. She revealed what she recently discovered on her account as I was leaving.”

“What did she say?”

“Something about a deal between Serena and Miette, and if Serena didn’t get with a certain boy by the end of the school year, bad things would happen. Apparently it has to do entirely with the school and some other complications, but Melanie doesn’t know too much about that yet. She’s still figuring it out.”

“And what does that shit have to do with the rumors?”

“They’re being spread for some type of _revenge_ . And Serena is being forced to _lead_ that revenge. If only we knew who else was involved.”

“...Damn it.” 

In spite of their situation, Inaya still wanted to serve as the beam of positivity they needed. “But, at least there’s some people out there who’re trying to figure things out, too! Maybe we can get Melanie to help us with—“

Her sentence ended abruptly; Kaitlyn launched forward with her arms open wide, wrapping them around Inaya’s shoulders and embracing her in a hug. 

Inaya swallowed. “...Kaitie?”

“I don’t know what the hell is goin’ on with this damn school, but all I know is that you don’t deserve to be involved in this crap. You already have too much on your plate.” Kaitlyn gently ran her hands throughout Inaya’s hair. “But that’s why we need to end this. _You_ need to end this.”

“Me…?”

“Listen to me.” Kaitlyn backed away and placed her hands on Inaya’s shoulders. “We ain’t gonna give up on provin’ those stupid rumors are false, that’s still a big part of this problem. But more than anythin’, you’re the smart one here, and you need to prove you have somethin’ to do this for.” She was only doing this for Inaya, after all. She didn’t have much else to look forward to when everything was resolved. “So, I’ll help ya find out as much information as we need, alright? But you take all the glory.”

Inaya was taken aback by her words. “But why me?” She desperately searched within Kaitlyn’s bright red eyes for an answer. 

“Because the future you wanna have is somethin’ worth doing all of this for. And you helped me. I want you to help other people too. So end everythin’ that’s goin’ on in this damned school. With me.”

Inaya finally understood and felt at peace, only if it were for a moment. “...Alright. I’ll do my best. I promise.” 


	32. My Present to You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s Christmas Eve, and the Myers siblings vent about their feelings for the first time in years. Meanwhile, Nita converses with Serena and spread joy to one another.

It was the first month of 5th grade, which would seemingly be quite exciting, yet it was a day like any other for Ruby. Her daily routine consisted of going to school, moping around, getting back home, and doing nothing. There was nothing else to do, anyway.

Ever since the very first week of school, she had been spending all of her time after school trying out numerous clubs and taking part in activities, but she wasn’t good at any of them. Even if it involved the simplest things, such as swimming, drawing, writing, playing board games or acting, she just couldn’t do it, no matter how hard she tried. She eventually just gave up, and decided to be depressed about it for the rest of the school year.

That is, until someone changed that.

Ruby thought,  _ It has to be important… Yeah, something important to me. That’s right, I don’t mind giving it up. If this’ll help him, then… _

“I got it. I’m gonna give this idea to Rudy instead.”

Dennis questioned, “What’s the idea?”

“Remember what I mentioned about my brother? I’ve tried to help him for years, but… none of my ideas have worked. So, I was thinking… maybe I should tell him to make a club.”

“Why a club?” Dennis shrugged and good-naturedly rolled his eyes. “That sounds pretty boring to me, dude.”

“I’ve thought of making one myself, but my bro needs it more than I do. I mean, he’s always wanted to be a leader figure, but he doesn’t think that’s possible, like, at all. So that’s why I’m gonna give him this idea instead!”

Dennis nodded along. “Sounds like an epic game plan, amigo! And, hey, if I ever do come back, will I be able to join?”

“Of course! Anyone will be able to join. It’ll be a club for everyone. Plus, this way, Rudy might be able to make some friends, along with everyone else, too.”

“Sounds like you should be the club’s leader, not gonna lie.”

“Hmm… yeah, but I’m not gonna be selfish. My brother needs this.”

“Alrighty! If you say so!”

After that very moment, Ruby’s life changed in ways she had never expected. You could say she even grew to despise it.

~~~~~

It was the morning of the day before Christmas, and the Myers’ family were going to come over and have a party, just as they would every year. At first, Rudy always got a little nervous and anxious during these times, but for once, he was actually looking forward to it. And normally, Ruby would be more than excited to finally spend some time with more of her family, but somehow, it was the exact opposite. She still loved them, but she felt like she’d be an inconvenience. She’s always just been a burden, after all. 

And so, she laid on the bottom bunk of the bed and glanced around the room.

_ Rudy would’ve asked to play some games with me by now. I wonder what he’s doing. It’s been pretty quiet the whole day, too. Is the party cancelled…? No, it happens every year. Everyone’s just gonna come over at night. I guess that means I can roam around for a couple more hours. I’m gonna say hi to Rudy. _

She got up from her bed and rubbed her eyes, walking down the stairs.

_ Well, all the lights are on. Maybe Rudy and Mamá are hanging out and watching a movie or something. They’re probably just tryna find a movie for tonight, though. I should just leave ‘em to that. I wasn’t even any help last year, either. Hmm… is Papa gonna be here? _

She walked straight into the kitchen and looked around. “Papa? You there?” No response. 

_ I guess he went out somewhere… again. Oh well, I get why. He probably doesn’t wanna be around me, right? Besides, he barely even talks to me. He’s much closer to Rudy, and that makes sense. I mean, Rudy’s good at a lot of things. I’m not the kind of person that people would be proud of. _

She exited the kitchen and made her way into the living room, suddenly hearing the sound of Rudy and her mother’s voices.

_ Oh, that’s what I thought. They’re hanging out together. It’s none of my business, so I’m just gonna go back to my room. _

Then, she heard the sound of an acoustic guitar.

Rudy strummed his guitar in front of his mother as they sat on the couch. Once he was done, his mother began to clap. “That was amazing, hijo! How long did it take for you to learn that?”

“A few weeks,” Rudy replied, “But I think I can play this song pretty well now. Do you wanna try?”

“Maybe! I  _ did  _ use to be a musician, after all. Maybe I’ll start to get the hang of it again! Pass it here.” 

Rudy handed his guitar to her and observed as she played a few chords. “You’re pretty good at this. Maybe you could teach me.”

“Nah, I don’t think so! But, maybe I could… Hmmmm…”

Rudy grinned and chuckled. “Weren’t you in a band when you were younger?”

“Yup, that’s right. I got together with three other friends of mine and formed a band with ‘em. I played the guitar, and I was also the lead vocalist. We were quite popular, y’know. All the schoolkids loved us!” 

“That sounds cool. I kinda wanna try forming a band, now.” 

“You definitely should, hijo! It’s alotta fun, and I think you’d enjoy it as much as I did. ...But I never thought you’d wanna do something like that. You’ve been so protegido, after all.”

“Well, if I don’t do anything now, I feel like I’m gonna miss out on a bunch of stuff.” Rudy looked downwards. “And… I’m not really that scared anymore.”

“¡Bueno! I can’t wait to see your first original song, then!”

“Ahah, I don’t think I’m gonna get to that point anytime soon.”

Ruby glanced at the two of them from afar and put on a weak yet genuine smile.

_ Rudy looks so happy. He’s even starting to play his guitar in front of Mamá, now. Looks like they’re having fun. If I hadn’t given up the guitar, Rudy wouldn’t be as happy as he is now. I’m glad. _

She walked back upstairs to her room and shut the door behind her, sitting on her bed and staring at the computer and gaming console.

_ Oh, that reminds me… Rudy’s been playing those games he likes to play around me more often. That’s good. He worried that I was gonna judge him before, but I guess that isn’t a problem anymore. He’s changed a whole lot. He doesn’t even seem like my own brother anymore… but that’s probably a good thing. I’m not much of a good sister anymore. I’ve already helped him as much as I could, and… there’s probably no need for me anymore. He’s independent now. I’m glad. _

Ruby closed her eyes and put her hands over her face in frustration.

_ I should be happy… Why am I not happy…? What’s wrong with me?! _

Her breath hitched as she looked back up.

_ That’s right… I was gonna call Nagisa and see how they were doing. I was also gonna invite them over, but… I can’t. I feel terrible. I made everyone worry at the party and acted selfish a couple days ago. I’m so selfish… Why do I wanna play the guitar again? Why do I want to do so much more? There’s no point…  _

She laid down on the bed and hugged her pillow close to her, getting in her usual comfortable position to fall back asleep. But she couldn’t get comfortable. She felt disgusted being in her own body. She felt like she couldn’t live another minute being stuck as Ruby Myers. 

At that moment, she remembered something important.

_ It’s already been two years since the club was formed. Rudy’s an amazing leader, everyone is happy, and things are going great. This is exactly what I wanted. There’s no need for me otherwise. I’m just selfish and disgusting, anyway. I should be happy… it’s over. It’s all over. I served my only purpose.  _

She burst into tears, repeatedly hit her head and punched her pillow, letting out grunts of frustration.

_ I don’t get it. I don’t understand. I feel like nothing. But these two years… do they really mean nothing? Is that what it is? Am I really that selfish? What do I feel anymore?!  _

“Damn everything… I’m so stupid…”

“Ruby…?” asked a familiar voice.

It was Rudy.

He slowly walked inside the room and closed the door. He had the look of concern plastered on his face as he walked towards Ruby. “Why are you crying? Did something happen?”

Ruby sat up and wiped her tears with her hands. “I’m fine.” 

“You don’t look fine, sis. I can tell.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m fine.”

“Ruby…” Rudy frowned and sat beside her. “We were worried about you at the party. We’ve all actually been worried about you for a while, actually. You’ve been acting a little off, and you seem really upset—“

“I know you’re worrying about me!” Ruby shouted, “I know everyone is! Stop reminding me!”

“...I’m sorry.” 

“Oh…” Ruby put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to yell. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, but… I wanna help you.”

“I told you already. You don’t have to. It’s just…” Ruby sniffled. “Whenever someone’s worrying about me, it’s like something’s… stabbing me. It hurts. It hurts when someone cares about me. It’s hard to explain, but… it just hurts.”

“When did you start feeling this way?”

“It’s been like this for as long as I can remember… When we were little, we always used to play with Min. When his mom disappeared, he started avoiding us, and he was the only friend you had. I tried to help you make friends, but I failed every single time. But I didn’t wanna give up. You’re my brother, after all. I don’t want you to be lonely. That’s just cruel.”

“Ruby…”

“If I tell you anything else, you’re gonna get mad at me, and so is everyone else. I’m terrible at explaining things, anyway. So, you can keep playing your guitar. Don’t worry about me.”

Rudy shook his head and grabbed her arm before she could get up. “No. I’m staying here. You’ve been keeping this to yourself all this time.”

“Isn’t that a good thing…?”

“Min-Jun only talked to me about what happened with his mom and how he felt about it in the middle of summer vacation this year.”

“Really…? All this time, he’s…?”

“I love you both a whole lot. I don’t want you guys to go through the same things… I know I used to be bad at helping before, but I wanna try. So, can you tell me what’s wrong?”

“...You’re not gonna force me to tell Mamá, are you?”

“I’m not gonna force you. Why?”

“She won’t get it. I’m just… scared.”

“I get that.” 

“Alright, so…” Ruby took a deep breath and sniffled once more. “In the middle of trying to help you make friends and stuff, I wanted to try out new things, too. That’s when I found out that I wasn’t really good at anything. You were always good at almost all the things I liked, except for soccer. I wanted to play in the sports team, but… I felt like it didn’t really matter. It wouldn’t benefit you at all, either.”

“...Did you even go to tryouts on the day Dennis and I went to that cooking class?”

“No, I didn’t. I lied. I knew that I’d probably have fun, but it just didn’t feel right.”

“Oh…”

“Anyway, when I started fifth grade, that’s when I met Dennis. I already had the idea to make a club, since I felt like it was the only thing going for me, but Dennis inspired me to give the idea to you. It’d help you make friends and become the person you always wanted to be, so… that’s mainly why. And when I talked to Lisa about it, we both came up with the idea to have the club named after one of your biggest interests, so then, there’d be a chance that you could meet some people who liked what you liked, too.”

“That’s why…”

“...Shouldn’t I be satisfied? Everything ended up working out in the end. You’re all happy, and you’ve become the leader you’ve always wanted to be. But…” Tears began to fall down Ruby’s face. “I wanted to lead a club. I wanted to have something I was finally good at that actually mattered to you and my family. I wanna keep playing the guitar, and I wanna be in a sports team. I shouldn’t even care that I gave it all up for you, but I’m just so selfish, all of this is just turning me into a terrible person.”

“What? Don’t say that! You’re not a terrible person!”

“Yes I am! I’ve just given everything up, and now I’m worthless! I can’t even find a reason to wake up and get out of bed anymore! I-I… I love you and Min... I love Nagisa... I love everyone… I wanna make everyone happy without them having to worry about me. But thanks to my selfishness and stupidity, that’s never gonna happen. I’m making everyone suffer, and it’s all my fault. I don’t deserve you, and I don’t deserve anyone else… I’m a failure.”

Rudy was speechless. He couldn’t find any words to describe how he had felt. 

_ She was feeling like this the whole entire time…? What the hell…? Am I really that dense? Am I really that stupid? My own sister feels like a failure…  _

“You’re not a failure, Ruby. You’re far from that.”

“You’re lying. I  _ am  _ a failure. I’m worthless and I don’t mean anything anymore. I’m just an empty shell of nothing, and I shouldn’t even care. And if that’s what it takes for you and everyone else to be happy, then that’s okay. Even if I’m not satisfied. Even if I have to constantly torture myself, it’s okay.”

“But you should care! It’s not okay!” Tears formed in Rudy’s eyes as he was overwhelmed with emotion. “We’re the Anime Club. We’re supposed to help other people and ourselves, remember? That’s why it was made in the first place! You wanted to help me make friends and be happy, so you gave me the idea to make this club. Everyone who’s joined wants to make friends, and we’re all here for a reason. You’re here for a reason, too! And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make you believe that, because it’s the truth... and I’ll do whatever I can to help you feel better.”

“Don’t you see?! I’m hurting you right now! You don’t have to try so hard! You don’t have to worry about me! You don’t have to help me!”

“...It’s because of you that I want to try so hard. It’s because of you that I want to help people. It’s because of you that I’m even alive.”

“Huh…?”

“Back then, more than anything, I wanted to die. It’s all I could think about. I thought things were hopeless, and that I’d never be who I wanted to be. I thought that I was going to be lonely and sad for the rest of my life. But it was because of you that I’m still here right now. You’ve done so much to help me my entire life, and I didn’t even fully realize it. I made you those cupcakes a long time ago as a way to say thanks, but I couldn’t even say it to your face properly. Not only that, but it took me so long to figure out how you were feeling this whole time.”

“N-No…”

“You’re not worthless, sis. If it weren’t for you, everyone in the club would never have met. None of this would’ve happened. I would’ve been dead a long time ago. I don’t know how life is for everyone else, but I know that they’re all equally grateful.”

“That’s not…”

“It’s true. You’ve been helping us more than you think you have… but sometimes, it’s okay to be selfish. You need to care about yourself.”

“But what if caring about myself causes pain for everyone else? What if they think I’m conceited? I don’t wanna turn into a bad person. I don’t wanna be greedy. That’s why I just wanna die before that happens. I’ve doomed myself. There’s nothing else left for me to do, anyway…!”

Rudy held her close and embraced her in a hug. “You’re not an empty shell. You’re not a failure. You’re not worthless. You’re Ruby. And Ruby is both an amazing friend and sister. We need you, and we all have each other.”

“N-No, stop…!” Ruby began sobbing next to his ear. 

“Thank you for everything, sis.” 

“R-Rudy…” She wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his shirt, and shut her eyes, barely able to speak through her tears. “I-I don’t deserve any of this. I-I really don’t, but…”

“It’s okay. It’s gonna be alright. I’ll make sure that you never feel like this ever again, and that’s a promise. We’re all gonna stay with you forever.”

“Forever…? We can really have things stay like this forever? We can all be happy?”

“Of course.”

“Even me…?”

“Even you,” Rudy confirmed, softly smiling. “Wasn’t this one of your wishes?”

“Yeah…”

“Let’s do our best to make it come true, then.” 

“But… what if I start to become too controlling? I wanna be a leader-like person too, but I don’t wanna outshine you or anything…”

“There can be more than one leader.”

Ruby looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

“Our club is different from the other ones at our school. Honestly, I like to think that all our members are the leaders. Like, we’re our own leaders, y’know?” Rudy chuckled, “Plus, that way, we won’t have fights about that anymore.”

“R-Rudy…” Ruby’s body was wracked with tears, and for once, she felt a pang of relief. “That… sounds good.” She let go of Rudy and wiped the tears off her face. “Hey, is it okay if I can borrow your guitar for a bit? I wanna play for a bit.”

“Sure! We can play together in front of Mamá, too.” 

“Sounds fun! I might be a bit rusty, but… I think I remember how to play a song. It’s one of my favorites, too.”

“Ooh, you gotta show me.” 

The two siblings got up from the bed and exited the room, both baring wide smiles. 

It was the first time Ruby felt so happy in a long time. And she wanted that moment to last for the rest of her now exciting life. 

*****

“Serena? I thought you’d be busy with your brother.”

Serena had suddenly called Nita out of the blue during Christmas Eve. It wasn’t necessarily night-time yet, but it was expected of families to already be hosting their parties by that time. 

However, since Nita wanted to be nowhere near her sister for the time being, she sat alone in her room, on top of her bed and now engaging in a phone call with Serena, her fellow club member. 

“We’re not having a party this year,” Serena replied, letting out a brief sigh, “But it’s different for the rest of my family. Apparently Ray is being punished for his ‘bad behavior,’ so he won’t be able to celebrate with them, but if he can’t participate, I’d rather stay with him.”

“You’re willing to miss out on all of that?” Nita had to admit she was impressed, and her admiration for Serena only grew. “Ray’s lucky to have a sister like you! If only I had a sister who didn’t keep me from doing what I wanted to do…”

“We can’t have everything in life.”

“I know, but still! You don’t realize how damn annoying Ali can be sometimes. That’s why I’m staying in my room. I don’t wanna be with her.”

“If that’s what you’d like, I won’t argue. Tell her I wished her a Merry Christmas.”

“Yeah, when Christmas is over.”

Rather than coming off as annoying, which was the case for most other children her age, Serena found Nita’s stubbornness to be amusing. She’d always lightly chuckle to herself whenever Nita rambled on about her sister. “Nita, there wouldn’t be a point in telling her if you say it after Christmas.”

Nita gave in. “...Okay, fine, you’re right. But anyway, did you only call me to say Merry Christmas?”

“That, and something else. It’s about our rivals.”

“Oh, them. What about ‘em? I thought Ray announced before winter break that we’d stop talking about them so we can enjoy our vacation.”

“That’s true, but this is something a bit different. It’s about Ruby.”

“That Ruby girl?”

“Yes.” Serena’s neutral expression dropped, a frown forming on her face. “Before our winter break began, Ruby seemed a bit… odd. Like she was depressed. No, I can tell she was depressed. I can’t help but wonder if she’s at least feeling a bit happier by spending time with her brother.”

Nita blinked. “You’re really great at figuring things out, Serena. I didn’t know that Ruby girl was upset at all! She seemed pretty normal to me when I saw her before our break.”

“Something’s wrong, and I don’t know what. I hope it’s not because of us.”

“Yeah. I wanna be friends with her, ‘cuz she even likes sports and everything! At least, that’s what I overheard some people saying a long time ago. She seems really cool, nice, and  _ amazing _ , but…”

“They’re our rivals, Nita,” Serena hesitantly admitted. “No matter who they are, we can’t forgive them for what they’ve done. We can’t forgive anyone. It’s their fault the school is in this state.”

“I know… But I know you’d wanna be friends with Nagisa too, right?”

“Of course, that should be obvious. And the moments I spent with them are still precious to me, even if it only lasted a little while. But if we want to reach our goal and save everyone… we can’t let anything get in our way.”

“Alright.” Nita’s expression softened. “And, hey, I’m actually glad you wanted to talk to me. I needed someone to talk to, like, really badly.”

“Will you be able to enjoy the holidays now?”

“I dunno, especially with Ali around, but I’ll try. When she’s out somewhere else, maybe I can go and play outside in the snow!”

“Whatever you end up doing, I hope you have fun. When I was little, my family always told me Christmas is a time of joy, so do whatever you please. But can you promise that you’ll still listen to your sister?”

“No.”

“It was worth a try. But, anyway, Merry Christmas, Nita. Have a good day. May I call tomorrow?”

“Yeah, of course! I already can’t wait! Merry Christmas, Serena!”

“Goodbye.”

Once Nita hung up the phone, she stared outside her window, taking in and admiring the beautiful scenery of snow as far as the eye could see. 

With each passing year, Nita’s desire to spend time with Serena only grew, for she always brought a smile upon her face. Even simple phone calls became the greatest gifts of all.


	33. A Song for You (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Winter break has come to an end, and it's time for Lisa to prepare for her performance at the talent show. However, both she and Rudy are faced with a dilemma.

Winter break had seemingly gone by in a flash, and it was almost the start of a new year. A plethora of the citizens decided to stay indoors due to the cold and prepare for their upcoming New Years celebrations, but the members of the Debate Club—including Reese—had other plans. 

“Look at how everything is decorated! It’s so pretty!” Upon their arrival, Nita ran around and about the park.

“Calm down, please don’t get hurt,” Ali warned. 

“They still haven’t taken down their Christmas decorations in some places,” Serena pointed out with a keen eye.

Of course, the first thing Reese decided to do was sit and relax on a bench. “The weather’s nice.”

“‘Nice’ my ass,” Ray rebuked, “It’s freezing cold. And we just got here! Why’re you already sitting on a bench?”

“‘Cuz it’s nice. And if I sit here, girls can get the chance to check me out.”

“Okay, have fun with that.” He turned away from Reese and gently tapped his twin sister’s shoulder. “So, what’s the plan for the rest of today?”

Serena met his gaze. “Nothing.”

The children immediately turned their heads to her.

“Nothing?!” Hearing that response from his sister of all people felt like he was experiencing nothing but a fever dream.

“But you always have a plan!” Nita whined, “What are we gonna do without a plan? We’re supposed to be going out somewhere for a reason, right?”

“It’s called having fun,” Reese commented.

“...For once, Reese is correct,” Serena continued. “Our winter break is almost over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take some time to relax and have fun together.”

“That’s smart,” Ali praised, “And it’ll give us an opportunity to drop our acts for a while as well.”

Nita’s energy was slightly drained at the mention of their ‘acts.’ “Hey, uh, speaking of that, I’ve been meaning to tell you guys something. I thought it could wait, but…”

“If it was that important, you should’ve told me,” Ali spoke out of concern.

“No way in hell. I just…”

Serena took notice of her frown. “Nita, did something bad happen to you?”

At the sound of Serena’s concern, Reese opened his eyes and glanced over at the group.

“No, not really, but…” Nita took a deep breath in preparation. “School is gonna be starting up again really soon, and not only does that mean the talent show is gonna happen, but we’ll have to go back to the club.”

“Do you have a problem with that?” asked Ray.

“I mean, it has to do with our ‘acts’ and stuff. I don’t like that we have to keep being mean to each other in school.”

Those words stood out the most to them, and they immediately understood.

Nita clarified, “I know none of you guys mean it, but it still kinda hurts from just hearing those words, y’know? Like, telling each other to ‘shut up’ or that we’re ‘annoying.’ How long are we gonna have to do this for?”

Serena briefly sighed. “Nita, I’m sorry if we have hurt your feelings. It wasn’t our intention.”

“What I don’t get is why it’s hurting you in the first place.” Ray reassured, “Y’know we’d never try to hurt you or anyone, right? It’s an act for a reason. If we actually said something mean to you, then fuck it, we might as well quit the damn club.”

Ali nodded. “Those two are right. You need to remember that they’d never hurt your feelings on purpose. But it’s an act we must keep up.”

“But…” Nita questioned, “Why do we even have to keep it up in the first place?!”

Reese remained silent. 

“So you forgot, huh.” Ray sincerely spoke with a stern voice, “We formed this club for a reason, and we’re here together for an even greater reason. We need to go through with our plan, and all of our actions have been leading up to it. If the other students or teachers want to finally pay attention to some danger, we gotta be more intimidating than the problem itself.  _ Then  _ they’ll have to worry about us.”

“What makes it better is that not too many people know who we are,” Serena added. “If we manage to cast an affect on a small number of them, it’ll slowly spread across the rest of the school. Before then, we’ll have enough time to not only inform everyone, but to secretly get away with our plan before they can stop us.” 

“I hope it even works,” Reese commented with a slight chuckle, “‘Cuz, I mean, wouldn’t we need more people on our side?”

Ali crossed her arms. “We’ve acquired more people, remember? And they’re just as kind as we’d normally be when we’re not attending school.” Her gaze met Nita’s. “So, Nita, you still don’t have to worry about a thing when school starts again, okay? We’d never hurt you, I promise.”

Nita didn’t want to trust the words of her own sister, but at the same time, it was reassuring hearing such things from a Debate Club member. “...Okay, I got it.”

“Speaking of school starting again,” Serena brought up, “If I remember correctly, Lisa will be attending the talent show that’s supposed to be coming up.” A soft smile was plastered on her expression. “That’ll give us an event to look forward to, no?”

Ray nodded in agreement. “If she performs, there’s a higher chance Ali and Nita will be able to do their thing.” He turned to face the sisters, “You guys better go buck wild with that, or I won’t forgive you two.”

“Don’t worry,” Ali replied, “We’ll go through with it, without a doubt. It seems we’re already gonna be fortunate by the time—“

“Heck yeah,” Nita cut off, “I’m hyped! It’s about time we can kick some ass! ...In a non-violent way!”

“Please don’t be too loud,” Serena mumbled.

“Oops.” Nita went on with a quieter voice, more moderate voice, “Sorry. But still, I’m really excited!”

“I don’t even know who this Lisa girl is,” Reese commented, “But if y’all are hyped for her performance, then I guess I’ll go see it too. Seeing Serena happy is all I need.”

“Does speaking my name so many times in one day ever leave a bitter taste in your mouth?” Serena hissed.

“Nah. I say your name out of my love for you.”

“Do as you please with that, then. I’m afraid I’ve lost the energy to stop you.” 

_ Love, huh?  _ Nita thought.  _ Based on what Serena has said about that Lisa girl, she seems to be obsessed with love and all of that. If her performance is filled with love, then I bet she won’t fail like we need her to, but… then again, we gotta keep doing our best no matter what! And so do I! I have to keep proving to my sister that I can do anything no matter the situation and get myself out there! I’m gonna do it for the club! _

*****

Lisa entered her lofty pink room and sat at her desk, grabbing a piece of paper, a pen, and sliding her feet into her slippers, which were located under the desk.

“Alright, I finally have the whole day to myself! Now, I can start working on my song lyrics and perfect ‘em!” 

She pridefully grinned and wrote down the song’s title on the top of the piece of paper. She already had the song’s name in her mind for a long time, but now she’d finally be able to put it on paper.

“‘Final Phase…’ It sounds perfect! Just like I thought! Now, all I gotta do is write the first line…” 

Her pen touched the paper, but nothing could be written.

“Uh…”

She searched throughout the deepest corners of her mind, but nothing could be found.

“U-Uh…”

Mentally facepalming, she threw her pen on the floor.

“Crap. I don’t even know how to write lyrics.”

She immediately grabbed her phone and rapidly called Rudy’s number. Impatiently waiting for the dial to stop ringing, she repeatedly tapped her foot on the floor. Once Rudy finally answered, she blurted, “Rudy, listen! I—“

“Hiiii…” Rudy slowly greeted. “How’re you doing?”

“That’s not important right now! The thing is, I—“

“Oh, if you’re calling about that hair on your chin again, don’t worry. All you gotta do is shave it off.”

Lisa groaned. “That’s not it!” She punched the desk with her fist out of frustration and winced out of pain. “Khhhhh... O-Ow…”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes!” Lisa perked up and hollered, “The thing is, I don’t know how to write lyrics!”

“...So, you need help?”

“Well… What I meant was, I’m perfectly capable of writing them myself, and I’m obviously super smart, so I can think of lyric ideas myself, but I just want some support anyway, and for you to show that you’ve got my back. Especially with the lyrics aspect.”

“Sure.” Rudy firmly nodded. “If you need help with writing the lyrics, I can help. But I think you should also ask Alicia, too. She’s good with poetry.”

“Uh… I don’t need help with writing the lyrics. I said I need support. Support!”

“Are you sure—?”

“S-u-pp-o-rt!”

“Lisa…” Rudy knew this was a lost cause, so he wouldn’t even bother with asking questions anymore. “Alright then. Do you want me to come over, or something?”

“Yup! But not Alicia.”

Rudy was taken aback by her statement. “Why not?”

“I mean, I still barely even know her that much. Plus, what if she’s messy? I don’t want her to taint my room!” 

“She’s not messy, Lisa.”

“She looks like a messy type! Besides, she’s not even close to being worthy of coming to my house, let alone my own room. It’s too cute for her.”

Rudy bore a sincere expression, and his voice dropped octaves lower. “No, she’s coming with us.”

Lisa felt a bit intimidated, but succumbed to the urge to rebuke against him anyway. “Uh, no she isn’t. My room, my rules.”

“Then, I guess none of us are welcome.”

“You know what I mean!”

“What I’m getting is that you think Alicia isn’t a part of the club. So, who else isn’t allowed to come?”

Lisa nervously chuckled. “Rudy, c’mon, stop being so weird. Y’know, why’s everyone been so weird with me lately?”

“Figure that out. You’re yourself.”

“Huh…?”

_ Dennis said the same thing to me a while ago. _

“What do you mean?”

“Anyway, I’ll see you later.” Rudy hung up the phone.

Afterwards, Lisa laid her phone down on the desk and slouched in her chair.

_ What was up with that? Why’s everyone being so weird? _

Lisa shook her head.

_ No, I can’t let that bother me. Rudy’s gonna be coming over today, so he can help me with the lyrics. Then, with a little dash of me, they’ll be perfect! I’ll be able to win the talent show for sure! _

Lisa looked up at her magnet board and stared at the talent show’s announcement paper with a confident grin.

“Yeah, I can do this. I’m gonna win this thing and become the most popular girl in school! I still can’t believe the time’s already here! All these years of preparing are finally gonna pay off!” She hopped off her chair and enthusiastically placed her hands on her hips. “That’s right! Once and for all, Lisa Nakahara will be on top of the world and—“

Her younger brother burst through the door. “Be quiet! I’m playing a game with Papa!”

“Shut up, Kenta! I’m having a moment!”

“Even Papa has noticed.”

“Noticed what?!”

Kenta crossed his arms and bore a smirk. “He called you a ‘drama king’ earlier. You might wanna lay off the ambrosia for a while.”

“Hmph,” Lisa muttered, “I think he meant ‘queen.’ And I’m not being dramatic! My life is about to change forever!”

“Nobody cares. At least be quiet about it. We can hear your shouting from the living room, y’know.”

“Well, you guys  _ should  _ care! Y’all are just dumb! You don’t know how it feels like to be on top of the world.”

“You’ve never been on top of the world, quit living in your stupid delusions.” Kenta rolled his eyes and huffed. “Also, Papa said that he wanted to talk to you about something later on. Apparently, it’s, like, super serious, so you might wanna force your acquaintances to leave early.”

“They’re my friends, you dum-dum! Get outta my room!”

“Yeah, yeah, love ya too, brother.” Kenta shut the door behind him and walked back into the living room.

“Ugh, I hate him.” Lisa laid down on her bed and punched her pillow. “Why doesn’t he get it?! Everytime I try to explain something to him, he acts dumb and says something mean! What gives?! Ugh!” She murmured, “...He’s even the one who suggested my name. What the heck happened to him…? Am I really just getting too cute for people? I bet that’s what it is.”

Lisa wanted to believe anything as long as it focused on her, and her only. She wasn’t willing to accept anything else, and at this point, no matter who it might have been, she’d be up for having anyone as a boyfriend. Some would call her desperate, but she’d do anything to prove them wrong. It just wasn’t true. 

She  _ deserved  _ to have a boyfriend. She deserved to be popular. She deserved to be loved and respected by everyone in the entire school. She deserved to win at anything she participated in. She deserved to win the talent show. 

It was her destiny.

*****

A few hours later, Lisa had led Rudy into her room, and they sat by her piano, Lisa playing the keys to a melody she had thought up of.

“So, what do you think? Amazing, right? I’ve been working on it for ages!”

Rudy firmly nodded. “It sounds good. It feels a bit bland at some parts, though.”

Lisa raised her eyebrow. “Huh? What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t sound bad, but I feel like there could be some more dynamics. But maybe that’s because all we can hear is your piano.” Rudy stood up, walked to his guitar and put it on, sitting on a chair. “Try playing the melody again.”

“Uh, okay.” Lisa did as she was told and played the keys on the piano. And as she did, Rudy strummed his acoustic guitar to the melody.

“...Hmm. Maybe we should add something extra.”

“It sounds fine just the way it is! What do you mean, ‘bland?’” 

“I just feel like it needs a bit more. But if you don’t want to change it, that’s fine.”

“Mhm!” Lisa widely smiled and beamed. “So, for the lyrics, I was thinking that there could be these super cute sound effects I can say! Like, ‘bam’ and ‘whoosh!’ Also, also, I wanna put in my name a bunch of times!”

“Go ahead, then. Write whatever you want, as long as you think it’s talent show material.”

“Oh please, everything I write is talent show material!”

Rudy placed his guitar on the bed. “Don’t get too cocky. Now, would you like to work on the lyrics now, and write them down?”

“Yup! I got the melody in my head! Not only is it catchy, but it’s really gonna pack a bunch at the talent show, and I’m gonna get first place for sure! And with these lyrics, my song is gonna be even better!” Lisa hopped off her chair. “After all, I’ve already envisioned all the lyrics I’m gonna write in my head!”

“Then why did you call me over…?”

“U-Uh, for support!”

“If you say so.” Rudy looked up at the ceiling and relaxed in the chair, closing his eyes. “...I remember everything that happened a few months ago. It was kinda like this, actually. I came over to help with your piano, and that’s around the time we got to know each other better. But…”

“But what?”

“...It feels so weird now. It’s almost like I barely even know you. We’re still friends, but… things just feel really different. It’s hard to explain.”

“What, did something happen to you or something?”

“I don’t know. But I only feel like that when I’m around you.”

“Maybe it’s because I’ve become so popular, you’re wondering if you can ever catch up!”

“I don’t think so…” Rudy let out a sigh and folded his hands, looking downwards. “But there’s also something else. Like, I only started feeling like this yesterday. I don’t feel safe.”

Lisa giggled, “C’mon, that’s just you being paranoid again!”

“I’m not being paranoid. I’m being serious. Since I’ve been looking back on what happened this year, I just remembered some girl named Serena. I haven’t seen her in ages, but I feel like something is up with her.”

“Who even is she? And how come?”

“I heard that she hangs up a bunch of photos of me in her room. That’s not a good sign.”

“Hahah, I’m pretty sure a lot of people are doing that, though.”

“Are you even taking me seriously?”

“Yeah, of course I am!” Lisa mumbled, “Geez, what’s up with you?”

To her surprise, this was audible to Rudy’s ears. “Absolutely nothing. I’m being how I usually am.” He refocused, “Anyway, I probably shouldn’t worry about this too much since tomorrow is New Years Eve. We’re gonna have a party, so I should try to calm down, at least.”

“Have fun.” Lisa grumbled, “I’m stuck with my dad and my brother. I hate them.”

“Oh, yeah, last time I came over, you were complaining about your brother. What’s so bad about him? He seems nice. He’s also kinda cute.”

“He’s not nice in the slightest! He keeps yelling at me and tells me what to do! Shouldn’t I be doing that? I’m his big sister!” Lisa slouched in her chair. “And don’t get me started on my dad. He never lets me buy any dresses or makeup.”

“What about your mother?”

“She’s the exact same, but I don’t get scolded by her that much. Most of the time, she’s just out going to parties and getting laid, I dunno. It’s literally like that almost every night. I can never get a break here.”

A frown began to form on Rudy’s face. “Oh…”

“And aren’t I the cutest girl you’ve ever seen? I don’t deserve this treatment! It’s unfair!”

Rudy glared at Lisa. “...Oh.”

“What?”

Rudy shook his head. “Nothing. Anyway, what’s the title of your song, again?”

Lisa grinned and went up to her desk, grasping the piece of paper she wrote on earlier and holding it up to the sky. “It’s called, ‘Final Phase!’ Cool, isn’t it?”

“That sounds cool. What is your song going to be about?”

“It’s all about me!”

“And what does the phrase ‘final phase’ have to do with you?”

“Uhhh… nothing! But that’s the point! Subversion at its finest!”

“Mhm… what’re your favorite things?”

“Ribbons, makeup, dresses, pink stuff, and, hmm… Oh, flowers, too, of course!”

“Flowers…” Rudy took out his phone from his pocket. “What’s your favorite kind of flower?”

“That’s actually hard to answer. I love a whole bunch, especially the pink ones!” She went on, “Azaleas, carnations, begonias, cherry blossoms, dahlias, amaryllises, hollyhocks, hydrangeas…”

“Amaryllis sounds nice.”

“Huh?”

“I like the ring of amaryllis. Maybe that can be your song title.”

Lisa shrugged. “Meh, it sounds kinda bland. I need something better, and something majestic sounding! Something that just screams awesomeness, like me!”

“Yeah…”

Rudy was getting a little irritated. It’s fine for other people to have different opinions, but the fact that she kept mentioning herself and acting cocky over and over again began to get on his nerves.

Unbeknownst to him, now he knew how Dennis felt.

“It sounds like you can do all of this by yourself. I should probably go.”

Lisa cringed. “Wait, what? You literally came here to help me!”

Rudy wanted to say this in the most polite way possible. “You already have everything thought up in your head. It doesn’t seem like I’ll be much help.”

“U-Uh…”

“I’ll see you later.” Rudy got up from his chair and placed his guitar inside its case. 

Lisa stood up and exclaimed, “W-Wait! I do need your help! I don’t know how to write lyrics, and I don’t know what to write!”

Rudy turned around.

“I…” Lisa frowned and murmured, “...The talent show is next week. I need to have this song done by then.”

Rudy questioned, “Why didn’t you start on this sooner?”

“I thought that I’d be able to do this last minute, but… I just gotta keep trying. I know I can do this!” She added, “You know what, I actually don’t need your help. You’ve barely even helped me at all. You’ve just been criticizing me this whole time!”

“What…?” Rudy’s brows furrowed. “I’ve been trying to help you this entire time.”

“No you haven’t! And it’s not like anyone else has, either! I’ve just had to prove that I can do things by myself this whole time! You guys can’t even help me with the one single reason I even joined the club!”

Rudy bellowed, “Are you blind?!” He took a deep breath afterwards and closed his eyes. “...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled like that.”

“Yell at me all you want. I’m used to it anyway.” 

“I haven’t—“

“Wanna know what happened during that Christmas party? Dennis got pissed at me because I joined the club, and I blamed all of you for all my bad luck. But it’s even true! And, what, was joining the club a bad thing?! ‘Cuz that’s what I’m getting!”

“Maybe  _ you’re  _ just the bad thing.”

“Huh?!”

“Consider how everyone else feels before putting your plans into action. You aren’t doing any good for anyone, this way.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“I remember. Once you finally declared to yourself that you were good at everything, you only stayed in our club for praise, and it’s still the same way now.” Rudy recalled, “And you said something mean to Ruby during that party. You still haven’t apologized, have you?”

“That’s none of your business!”

“She’s my sister, and she’s in our club!”

“Screw your club!” Lisa angrily stomped on the floor. “If I can’t do what I wanna do, or even get what I deserve, I’m quitting! I hate you!”

“I thought we were best friends.”

“Well, look where we are now. And it’s all your fault, you fag!” 

At that moment, the world around them froze.

Shock crossed Rudy’s face as his eyes widened. “You...”

Realizing what she had said, Lisa gasped and put her hand over her mouth.

She really shouldn’t have said that.

She really shouldn’t have.

“...W-Wait, I didn’t mean to—“

“I got it.”

Rudy delivered a loud and powerful slap to Lisa’s face, leaving a red welt behind, stinging her cheek.

Lisa’s hand reached out to her cheek as she winced out of pain, and Rudy’s body was trembling with fury. 

Never before had either of them felt such emotion. 

“You… You’re a terrible person!” Rudy angrily darted out of her room and shut the door. 

“Rudy…!” However, Lisa’s voice could not reach him, for he had already left, closing off the connection between them once and for all.

All she could feel was rage.

She didn’t mean to say it. At least, that’s what she kept telling herself. But what if she  _ did  _ mean what she said?

It’s always been a habit of hers to blurt whatever she’s thinking, but at this point, she deems whatever comes out of her mouth as true because  _ she said it.  _ It didn’t even matter if it made her a bad person. 

As long as she was right, everything would be okay. Nothing else mattered. Not even her closest friends or family.

And  _ that’s _ how she got her inspiration for a song.

*****

The day of the talent show had finally arrived, and Lisa was more than ready to perform her song. Despite their previous encounter, more than anything, Rudy wanted to attend the show and watch Lisa put on her performance. 

Walking throughout the halls, lost in thought, Rudy made his way to the auditorium.

_ I hope it turns out well for her. She’s been putting so much faith and effort into her work. I want to see her sing. I want her to show me what she can do—what I couldn’t do.  _

However, he spotted a student around his age rushing towards him with a quickening pace, seemingly in distress.

_ Who’s that girl? Is she coming to me? _

“Please, listen to me!” she called out.

“Wait, what’s the matter?” After taking a second to study her appearance, he could finally identify the girl. “You’re Melanie, right—?”

“None of that matters right now! You need to listen!” Out of breath, she heavily panted and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Was there an accident somewhere? You look—“

“No matter what, you  _ can’t  _ let Lisa perform at the show!”

“What?”

From those words alone, he was sure that something bad must’ve happened, and perhaps it was involved with the talent show. But why Lisa?

He was curious.

“Can you tell me why she can’t perform?”

“You have to trust me on this. If she performs, something bad is gonna happen! You need to stop her now!”

The lack of specifics appeared as nothing but empty words to Rudy. “Listen, I don’t know what you’re going on about, but I don’t know about any threats going around the school. Do you even know who Lisa is?”

Melanie clenched her fist. “I swear, you need to listen to me!”

“Unless you provide any more details, I’m not listening.”

“I just  _ can’t _ ! How oblivious can you possibly be?!”

“If you’re trying to keep Lisa from performing, that’s a no from me. I’d never let that happen. This is important to her, and she’s been practicing really hard just for this moment. I can’t stand to see her upset. So if you just want to stop her, I’m willing to take drastic measures to keep her going.”

Melanie bore a bitter expression. “You idiot. Nobody ever listens. Neither do you. If you blame me for what happens, think about what you want for everyone else. Do you want this school to turn back into the way it used to be?!”

Rudy flinched. “What do you mean by ‘the way it used to be?’” He added, “But even if you say that, I’m not stopping Lisa, and I never will. She has a dream in mind and I want to see her stand on stage.”

Melanie took a pause. “...I can see why Serena’s so obsessed with you. But you’re being unbearable. Don’t expect anything good to happen from here.”

Before Rudy could respond, she walked away and entered a random clubroom, disappearing from his sight. He decided to pay no mind to it, and proceeded towards his original route: the auditorium.

It was filled with a multitude of students and parents, as many kids were either backstage or among the crowd, awaiting their turn to perform. Lisa was upset over the fact that she didn’t get to perform first, but at least she was in the middle. That just gave her plenty more time to get ready for her big debut.

_ I’ll perform so well, nobody in the crowd will even remember what the other performances were like. All their eyes will be on me, and I’ll be all they can think about. That’s my destiny. _

She wasn’t wearing anything that fancy. To her disappointment, her father only let her dress up in long jeans and boy-ish clothes because they ‘fit her better,’ although she believed the exact opposite. Her family could be located in the audience, and they were anxiously waiting for her performance. It wasn’t like they were expecting much, but at least their daughter would be taking part in something important for once.

Along with the other Anime Club’s members, Rudy happened to be there as well. He didn’t like Lisa (and neither did Min, like, at all), but he still wanted to see how she would do. She was working very hard towards her goal, after all. But at the same time, even just the thought of her getting in the top three made him feel bitter. He didn’t feel jealous, and he definitely wouldn’t be upset over her win, but the fact that she would rub it in everyone’s faces and continue to be a bitch just bothered him. 

_ Good luck, Lisa.  _

And so, the talent show had begun, and everyone spectated the separate acts being presented by multiple students. Most of the acts were just plain stupid, but a few of them managed to catch everyone by surprise, especially Lisa.

But that wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

_ Ugh, if this keeps up, nobody’s gonna be impressed by me.  _

Lisa gnawed her teeth, still awaiting for her turn. 

She had the slight thought of sabotaging one of the performances, but it went away fairly quickly. 

After an entire hour went by, and, at last, to Lisa’s contentment, it was her time to shine.

The stage was set, and literally. Appearing before the large audience, she stood on stage, walked to the grand piano and took a seat. Everyone watched and observed her slight movements as she prepared herself, and finally hit the keys, playing the song she had composed as she sang her egotistical lyrics beautifully.

A boy in his highschool years located in the audience watched her performance in awe, his eyes sparkling. “Her voice is amazing,” he spoke to himself, “And the way she’s playing that piano, it’s… Who is she…?”

Everything was going perfectly, but things started to go downhill from there.

Lisa screwed up big time in the middle, and in spite of being filled with confidence, she suddenly forgot the second verse’s lyrics, and had no idea of which keys to press. 

All of a sudden, she froze and blankly stared at the piano.

_ Wait... what’s the next part like, again…? _

She could hear the laughs of a few children coming from the audience, which only made her situation even worse. Her family facepalmed and glared in disapproval, multiple students and parents were left confused, and Rudy frowned, looking away from the sight.

_ Did I seriously forget…?  _

And in that moment, Lisa remembered that she didn’t even have enough time to compose the song’s final chorus. She didn’t even finish writing the lyrics for the second chorus, either. 

Out of embarrassment, she hid her face and stomped her foot on the floor.

_ Shit. _

After years of waiting for her perfect moment to shine and be the star she was, in the end, she got last place, and walked home with not a single reward.


	34. A Song for You (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa tries to at least make her secondary dreams come true after failing at the talent show. She gets a talking to from Ruby.

Lisa Nakahara failed at the number one thing she was supposed to succeed at.

She couldn’t even walk home with a prize. 

She got last place in the talent show she had looked forward to for years. It was supposed to be her big break, her time to shine, and her ticket to victory, exposure and fame, but she failed. She embarrassed herself in front of the entire school, including the Anime Club.

But whatever. Screw the Anime Club. It’s not like they assisted her with anything anyway. She didn’t need them anymore. They were just useless pigs. Besides, she still had Reese, for that day, she would finally attempt to confess to him, in hopes of being comforted after everything that’s happened. 

At least  _ he  _ cared. 

Lisa sat at her desk and laid her head down, closing her eyes and groaning out of frustration.

_ Stupid Rudy. I don’t deserve to be slapped or talked to like that. I bet he was just waiting for me to fail last night with a stupid grin on his face. Whatever… Why did I even bother joining his club in the first place? It’s just filled with a bunch of… a bunch of… _

The memory of she and Nagisa living their previously happy lives in Japan flashed in her mind.

_...I guess Nagisa is the only good one here. But why did we become friends? What even happened back then? We wanted to do something important, but… I don’t remember. But… it’s not like it’d even matter. All Nagisa cares about is fish and Ruby. What do they even see in that girl? I swear, she’s emotionally unstable literally all the time. She needs to quit faking her depression just to get all this attention. It’s making me sick. _

At that moment, Lisa grew to despise anyone but Nagisa and Reese. 

Getting up from her chair, she grabbed her backpack and exited her room, paying no attention to the ruckus being caused in the kitchen. Her little brother was fighting with her mom, but she could care less that morning. Normally she’d get absorbed in the conflict and be apart of it, but the only thing on her mind was confessing to Reese and becoming his girlfriend.

After all, how could he resist the cutest girl in school?

*****

Once classes  ha d ended, Lisa went straight to her locker, put her stuff away, and gave herself a little pep talk, in preparation to finally confront Reese about her feelings, confident that he would reciprocate.

_ Alright, I’m about to get a super hot boyfriend! This is gonna change my life forever! Ahh, I’m so excited! We’re gonna hold hands, embrace each other with love, kiss, go on dates, and— _

“Lisa.”

“GAH!” Lisa rapidly turned around out of shock with widened eyes. “W-Wha…” She was greeted by the sight of her only friend. “Nagisa…?”

“Hi.” Nagisa waved and awkwardly smiled. “Nice to see you.”

“Uh-huh.” Lisa slowly nodded and nervously chuckled. “What’s up?”

“I need to tell you something. It’s important.”

“Uh, I’m actually kinda busy right now.” She excitedly piped, “I’m gonna get a boyfriend! And it’s Reese, the most popular guy in school! Not only that, but he’s super hot .  ,  too!”

“...Well, I need to tell you something. It’s impor—“

“You already said that.”

Nagisa paused and let out a sigh. “Confess to Rudy. He’s popular.”

Lisa cringed at the mention of Rudy. “Nah, you don’t get it. He’s just toxic, and he, uh… sucks. He’s not even that good-looking.” Lisa shrugged and giggled, “Y’know, I think he’s pretty ugly.”

Nagisa furrowed their eyebrows. “Mean.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing. Nevermind. Goodbye.” 

As Nagisa walked away, Lisa could’ve sworn that she saw tears form in Nagisa’s eyes, but that wasn’t important right now. All that mattered was Reese. 

_ Alrighty, now I just gotta find him! He should be around here somewhere. He’ll probably be around a crowd of some stupid girls or something. _

Lisa walked around the halls and began to search for Reese, as Rudy noticed her and observed her from a distance, attempting to walk away from the numerous people surrounding him.

_ Good luck, Lisa.  _

He still liked Reese, but if it meant that Lisa would be happy, then he didn’t mind her confessing to the redhead whatsoever. 

With all his being, he wanted to holler at Lisa, wishing her good luck, but then again, he probably still wasn’t forgiven for what happened the previous week, and he didn’t want to inconvenience her anymore. But he still knew none of it was his fault. It was Lisa’s, and he did what he had to do, even if his message didn’t get through properly.

Lisa deserved her moment with Reese.

And speaking of that… random curly haired popular guy, Lisa recalled the day she met him.

It was the second day of school: the day after she first met Miette and declared that she would become the cutest and most popular girl in school. As she was entering class, in the halls, she noticed a tall and muscular redhead, surrounded by a multitude of girls. At that moment, she knew it was destiny. They were meant to be together. How? Their eyes met, and Reese gave her the most awkward-looking smile he could ever bear, and Lisa gasped out of surprise, squealing on the inside. She subtly waved back and watched as Reese winked at her. 

Ever since then, she’s been deeply in love with him more than any other “hot boy” in the school, despite not even talking to him a single time. But now, she would finally make her dream come true. 

...But now that she was thinking about it, there was a similar situation with Nagisa. As soon as their eyes met, Lisa knew they’d become great friends who would stick together no matter what. It was a part of her “awesome” vision. But she couldn’t remember what it was about Nagisa that drew her to them in the first place. She couldn’t remember the fun they had together, neither could she remember their childish aspirations. 

Unbeknownst to Lisa, Ruby walked to Rudy and grasped his hand, pulling him out of the crowd. “Sorry girls, he has to do something real quick.”

Finally separated from the crowd, Rudy gave a relieved smile. “Thanks, sis.” He groaned, “I even told them I had to go, but they just won’t listen.”

“At least you’re actually talking to them,” Ruby teased and chuckled. She suddenly bore a sincere expression and tapped her brother’s shoulder. “But, uh, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“What’s up?”

“Well… I’m gonna have to tell Lisa something. It’s really important. Do you think now is the right time?”

Rudy thought it over, and nodded his head in reply. “She’s most likely not visiting the club today. She’s actually about to confess to Reese right now. Can you talk to he r once she’s done? How about tomorrow ?”

“Yeah, sure. I can wait.”

“...Has she apologized to you yet?”

“No. And Nagisa just talked to me. They’re really upset.”

“I see… What happened with Lisa and Nagisa?”

“Nagi was gonna tell her something, but…”

Meanwhile, Lisa made her way upstairs to the high school area, which was where Reese was located, and searched for him, filled with anticipation.

_ God, where is he? I don’t see too many people around here… did he already leave? No, that can’t be right. He stays here for, like, a super long time. Where could he be…? Wait, is he in a club?! _

Noticing a tall figure entering one of the clubrooms, Lisa went over to investigate, slowly walking to the door, making sure her footsteps weren’t audible. She read the label located on the side.

_ This is where the Debate Club is. I could’ve sworn I just saw someone who looks like Reese walk in here. Is he really in the Debate Club…? _

As she walked inside the room, she was greeted by none other than Reese. “Yo.” He winked at her with his signature awkward (most likely fake) smile. Somehow, this was more than just hella charming to the girls in this school.

“R-Reese!” She squealed, “It’s you! Y-You’re in here…!” Excitement and contentment w as plastered all over her face, unable to contain her overflowing emotions. “U-Uh, hi!”

“What’s up? Why’re you over here?” he asked.

“Well, uh, I actually gotta tell you something! Are you busy?”

“Hmm…” Reese felt more than awkward, but for the sake of this random, cute and overly excited girl, he would cooperate. “Nope. Say what you wanna say. You’ve got all the time in the world.”

“AWESOME!” She blurted out. “I-I mean, cool!” She took a deep breath and regained her composure, her heart leaping out of her chest.

_ My time is finally here! I can’t believe it! I’m finally gonna get a super hot boyfriend, and become the most popular girl in school! _

She didn’t even know why she wanted to be so popular in the first place, but at that moment, all that mattered was that her biggest dream was about to come true.

She could already picture it: her life with her future husband Reese, having a beautiful (and expensive) wedding, along with a plethora of guests, decorations, cake, and flowers. Or, more specifically, amaryllises. It was the perfect vision, but no, it wouldn’t just be a vision for the future any longer. It was sure to become a reality, and all she had to do was say those three little words.

And those three little words were a phrase that she could never say to her “friends.” Only Reese deserved them. Only Lisa deserved them. It was only the two of them who deserved love and the blessing of a relationship. Nobody else mattered. Plus, this way, Lisa could finally prove to everyone that she wasn’t just a cute girl. No, she was the cutest girl ever, who happened to have well-deserved popularity and a hot boyfriend, because it was her fate. 

The future only mattered if it contained Lisa and Reese.

Just Lisa and Reese.

Just Lisa. 

Nobody else.

And that was why, as soon as she spoke those three little words which were so important to her…

“I love you!”

Her life changed in undesired ways.

“Huh?” Reese placed his phone back in his pocket and scratched his head out of confusion. “Oh, cool. That’s nice.” He glanced at his watch and smirked. “Neat-o, that’s the ninth confession of this week.”

“Excuse me?” Lisa raised her eyebrow and nudged Reese’s arm, clearing her throat to grab his attention. “Ahem, Lisa Nakahara just confessed to you. How do you feel?”

Reese nonchalantly shrugged. “Cool, I guess. I mean, I don’t even know who you are.”

Shock crossed Lisa’s face as her eyes widened, faced with the hard truth. But, no, she wasn’t going to accept it. “U-Uhm, I’m Lisa! The cutest girl in school! Don’t you recognize me?!”

“Hmm…” Reese stroked his chin, then beamed. “Oh, yeah, I do! You’re that kid who embarrassed themselves during the talent show last night! Yeah, that was a hilarious act. Good for you, kid.”

“What…?”

“Yeah, you’re kinda famous now, actually. Lucky you, amigo. Literally every kid I’ve talked to is making fun of ya, so that means you’re a fan favorite.” He paused, looking to the side, and noticed a group of girls giggling at staring at him with a smile, pink tinting their cheeks. He then added, “Oh, and y’know what? I, uh… don’t really feel the same way. Sorry, but you’re just not my type. I like the popular girls, but not girls who embarrass themselves just to be popular. I just don’t wanna have that kinda trouble, y’know? Besides, you’re a boy, and I’m not into guys.”

“W-What…?!” Lisa stammered out in fear, “W-What are you talking about? I’m not a boy! I’m a girl! I’m Lisa!” 

“Well,” Reese elucidated, “I just heard from some kids that you're, y'know, just pretending to be a girl. I guess that’s one way to be popular.”

“N-No… That’s not true…” Lisa whimpered, her legs trembling as she bore a blank expression. “...Are those… rumors…?”

“You already know how it is here. And there’s a bunch of rumors about these kids in some club that's being led by that Rudy guy. I mean, they’re obviously true, so why bother wasting time with people like that?” Reese shrugged and lightly chuckled, “I’m a cool guy. I ain’t dumb.”

Lisa then knew how Nagisa felt. “What… What are the rumors like for them?”

“You haven’t heard ‘em? There’s this one kid called Nagisa who’s apparently this delinquent. And some random, short, blonde Korean kid is satanic, along with that popular guy Rudy, and his sister Ruby. There’s all sorts of other rumors going on, but I’d be going on for hours if I were to tell ya. True story.”

All Lisa could do was stay silent. 

She was popular, but not in the way she desired to be. And Reese didn’t even reciprocate her feelings of love.

Her life was now a disaster.

But, no, she couldn’t be discouraged. She didn’t just want to confess to Reese to finally set her destiny in stone. 

She wanted to feel comfort.

She wanted a boy who could embrace her and shower her in affection, telling her that everything was going to be okay, even after the events of the talent show. She wanted to live a happy life with the boy she deeply loved, and to prove everyone that she really was the cutest and most popular girl in school. It’s all she wanted.

And these very desires took her to a small fragment of the past. 

It was the day of the tsunami, and  her friends Sonoko, Michiru and Kagami had fatally passed away, leaving Lisa, Nagisa, and a small amount of other students alive. On that day, Lisa hugged Nagisa tightly as they wept, overwhelmed with pain and grief. 

At that moment, Lisa had made a promise to Nagisa, but by now, she’s forgotten what it was.

What was the promise?

What was the most important thing to them?

Just what could it have been?

And so, only one simple action could have saved Lisa from eternal despair now.

She looked up to Reese, her hand on her own chest, feeling her heartbeat. “...Can we kiss?” 

“That’s quite the random request,” said Reese, his eyes darting across the clubroom, briefly looking outside, to see if there were any students in the hallway nearby. “But, uh, why? Like I said, I don’t even know you. I ain’t one of those guys. If I kiss a girl, I gotta know her first.”

“Well, uh…” Desperately searching for the perfect answer, Lisa clenched her fist out of frustration. She was confused with everything that was happening, but if it meant that she’d feel comfort from kissing, she would do anything. “I… I just need it. I wanna feel happy. Please? Just this once?” She drew in a shuddering breath, as pearl-shaped tears rolled down her cheeks. 

“I dunno. I…"

“Just do it.” Lisa wiped the tears from her face and bore a weak smile. “It’ll only be just this once. I won’t ask for anything more. This is all I’ll need. Trust me.”

“Are you really that desperate?” Reese clicked his tongue. “I don’t think my girlfriend would be happy with that, or any of the other girls for that matter.”

“Nobody will see.” Lisa gently pushed him further into the room, and eventually against the wall.

“Hey—“

She stared at him intensely, evoking a passion which couldn’t be described in words. “You can kiss me anywhere, and that’d be fine. Anywhere is fine. It’s perfect. Just… please… I was made for this moment. I’ve been looking forward to this almost all my life.”

“But—“

“Kiss me…” Lisa sniffled and held back her tears, burying her face in Reese’s chest and grasping onto him tightly. “Just do it…”

In place of a response, Reese cupped her face, wiping the tears that began to fall. He then shut his eyes and leaned down, his lips finally meeting with Lisa’s. 

It felt bitter.  
  
She couldn’t help but cry. Her heart only ached with pain as her lips were dancing on top of Reese’s. Euphoric bliss, or even a glimmer of hope was already distant by then, but she didn’t care. She ran her fingers down his spine, and they finally pulled apart, Reese wiping his mouth afterwards, rubbing off the kiss. 

Solemnly looking downwards, Lisa attempted to avoid eye contact with Reese as much as possible as she backed away from him. 

“Uh…” He ran his hand throughout his hair and glanced around the clubroom. “So… how was that? Is that what you wanted?”

“...I’ll never be able to find what I’m looking for after all.” Lisa looked upwards and faked a soft smile. “But… thank you.” She walked out of the room, suppressing the urge to look back and fall into his arms. It wouldn’t even be real love or affection, anyway.

Lisa was left unsatisfied. She wasn’t even excited over the fact she had received her very first kiss. She didn’t feel any comfort, nor did she feel any happier. It only made her feel worse, especially due to the fact that the passion she had hoped for wasn’t there in the first place. She felt nothing. She felt  _ like  _ nothing. 

And so, things didn’t go according to plan. Now, she had nobody, and things were to stay that way for the rest of her life, all because of one stupid little mistake. There was no way anyone could love her now, and there was only one thing left to do.

*****

Once she arrived at home, Lisa walked straight into her room and laid on top of her bed, staring at the ceiling and tightly holding onto her pillow. 

_ I deserve my happy ending. I… I don’t understand. This is all just so stupid. _

She began to aggressively punch her pillow, and threw it off the bed, grunting in frustration.

_ I’m not a boy! I’m not a laughing stock! I’m not worthless! I’m Lisa!  _

Getting up from her bed, she kicked her pillow and stomped on the floor, hollering, “Everyone else can just die! Nobody even cares about them! They should be caring about me! I’m the only person that’s going through all of this! This is  _ my  _ story, and not theirs!” She repeatedly hit her hand against the table. “...I-If Ruby really  _ is  _ just depressed, then she should just kill herself. Nobody would even care, anyway. She’s just an empty shell. All she cares about is Rudy this and Rudy that. I bet they’re even in a relationship. Disgusting.” She went up to her drawer and stared at the multiple anime figures lined up.

_...Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. _

She eventually burst into hysterical laughter, her inner thoughts competing with her passionate wrath, causing her blood to boil. “Rudy doesn’t deserve his fans. He doesn’t even deserve any friends. And why won’t Min-Jun just die already?!”

_ Stop. Stop saying those things. Stop it. Stop it. _

Grasping one of her precious figures in her hand, she threw it on the floor and watched it break into pieces. “Ahah…! That thing only cost me twenty bucks, but Min’s so poor, he’d be more than just pissed by now!”

_ Shut up. Shut up. Shut. Up. _

“How can anyone bear with Dennis?! He’s the most annoying person I’ve ever met! And I bet he’s even aware of it. Just like Colston, he probably just wants to ruin his own reputation and watch his worthless life rot away with the ants. That doesn’t sound too bad for someone like him.”

_ What am I saying…? Stop it… Stop it… Stop— _

“Everybody else probably just made up their stupid little reasons to join the club. They’re all just attention hogs who wanna be pampered for being in school. I was the only one with a valid reason for joining, yet they all treat me this way. But whatever, they’re just a bunch of…”

_ Don’t say it. Don’t say it. _

“They’re just… They’re just a bunch of...“

Lisa stopped herself before she could say another word. 

_...No. No. No. I’m not supposed to act like this. This isn’t how cute or popular girls would act. Not at all. S-Shit… shit… _

*****

In spite of her condition, Lisa still decided to go to school the next day. However, of course, the previous events she had experienced took a major toll on her. She didn’t feel as upbeat or energetic as she normally was, and didn’t even bother talking to anyone or eating her snack. She  _ did _ manage to eat some of her lunch, but it wasn’t much, and she was still left hungry for the rest of the day. 

Looking forward to dismissal, throughout her final class, she anxiously stared at the clock, playing with her pencil and spinning it around. Once the bell finally rang, she unenthusiastically walked to her locker, despite her previous so-called excitement. But something unexpected caught her eye.

“A note…?”

She noticed a piece of paper lodged in the edge of her locker and grasped it, turning it around to read what was written.

_...Nah, it can’t be a love letter. That’s impossible. Let’s see… ‘Meet me in classroom 6-D after dismissal.’ Hmm… _

“Well, I have nothing else to do. Might as well.” She crumbled up the paper and fit it into her pocket, walking down the hallway and making her way to the classroom. 

She already knew that it was an old classroom nobody used. In fact, they still haven’t removed it from the premises yet, but everyone’s just assumed that it’s only because the school’s staff is lazy. Since it was an empty classroom, many students hung around there for fun after class, and without anyone there, it would be the perfect room for a meeting. 

Lisa entered the spacious and barren classroom, only to be greeted by Ruby and Nagisa standing alongside each other, turning around to face her. 

“Oh, you’re here,” said Ruby, waving to Lisa. Nagisa only averted their eyes with a frown plastered on their face.

“Uh, hey…?” Lisa shut the door behind her and crossed her arms. “So, uh, what’s up?”

“C’mon, you’re acting like you don’t know me,” Ruby chuckled. She walked up to Lisa as her smile dropped. “I was actually gonna talk to you yesterday, but you were confessing to someone. So, how did it go?”

Lisa’s face went blank. She mumbled under her breath, “...Not… good.” She immediately spat, “But why does that matter to you?”

“Relax a little.” Ruby looked back at Nagisa, and once they nodded, she let out a sigh and stared into Lisa’s eyes. Lisa had never seen her look so serious before. “Anyway, lately, you’ve been a little… mean to everyone, and it’s been affecting us. Min’s really upset, too. You’ve been hurting his feelings.”

Lisa scoffed, “So…?”

“So, I think you should apologize.”

“Wait, wait, so you want me to apologize to everyone? For no reason?”

“There  _ is _ a reason. I understand how everyone feels, especially Rudy and Nagisa. You’ve hurt them a whole lot, and even me, too.” Ruby looked downwards in melancholy. “I know you probably don’t mean the things you say, but it has to stop.”

“Quit acting like you’re in charge of everything. Besides, what if I  _ did  _ mean the things I said? I mean, they’re true, aren’t they?”

Ruby bore a stone cold expression. “So, I’m really just faking my depression? Is that it?”

“Obviously. You aren’t fooling anybody.”

“Tch.” Ruby suppressed her anger as much as she could and sucked it all in, taking a deep breath. She firmly held onto Nagisa’s hand, as a way of reassuring them that everything would be alright. “...Nagisa told me about what happened between you guys yesterday.”

“What…?”

“You didn't give a crap about them. And they were even gonna wish you good luck for your confession, and give you a drawing they made for you.”

“Well, it’s not like it’d even matter, anyway. Reese still rejected me, and I have nobody, but of course, you’re just gonna go ahead and lie to me, tryna guilt trip me and all of that shit. It’s not working, Ruby.”

Nagisa let go of Ruby’s hand and walked up to Lisa, and shoved a piece of paper into her face. “Do you remember? Do you remember?!”

“W-What are you doing? Get that away from—“

“Do you remember?!” Nagisa wailed, forcing the paper into Lisa’s hands.

“Ugh!” Lisa finally surrendered and scanned the paper, which had a picture of Japan, hand-drawn by Nagisa. “...What…?”

“T-Tokyo…” Nagisa’s breath hitched as they sobbed, and Ruby gently wiped the tears from their face. “We… We were gonna go there. It was our dream. When we became friends, it was our dream.” 

“Tokyo…?”

And suddenly, her most precious, distant memories were flooding in.

~~~~~

It was Lisa’s very first day of 4th grade, and she was more than excited to make new friends. Once classes were dismissed, she excitedly ran out of her classroom with a large and adorable grin on her face, just waiting for the moment she could finally go to the playground and meet new people. 

But something unexpected happened.

As she ran throughout the hallway, her extremely large (and previously loose) backpack fell to the ground, which happened to be right next to the doorframe of an empty classroom. She picked it up, but then heard a strange noise.

_ Huh? What’s that? Is there someone crying? _

She curiously entered the classroom to investigate, and at that moment, she and Nagisa’s eyes had met for the very first time.

Nagisa was covered in bandages, bruises, and numerous scars, as they laid on the floor in agony, weakly crying out for help.

“Oh no!” Lisa sprinted towards them as quickly as possible and sat down next to them. “Hey, are you okay? What happened?!”

“H...Hurts…” Nagisa winced in pain, attempting to get up.

“Don’t move! What happened to you?!”

“N...Non…”

“What?”

“...I’m… bad. They hate me. I’m bad…” 

“I don’t understand…” Lisa gasped and brought out a piece of paper, along with a pencil. “It doesn’t look like your arms or hands are hurt. Can you write? I wanna know what you’re saying!”

“...Mmm…” Nagisa slowly sat up, grabbed the pencil, and began to write on the paper. Once they were done, they showed it to Lisa.

“‘They hit me. They said mean things to me. I fell…’ Wait, why did they do all of those mean things?!”

Nagisa wrote on the paper once again.

“‘I’m not a girl or boy.’ What do you mean? Then what are you?”

Then, Lisa’s question was answered.

“‘Non…’ Oh, you mean non-binary, right?”

Nagisa nodded in reply and averted their eyes, bearing a frown.

“W-Wait,” Lisa stammered out, “That’s not a bad thing! I never thought that I’d find someone like me, actually.” Nagisa tilted her head, which Lisa assumed was out of confusion. “Oh,” she added, “I’m actually trans, too. You know what that means, right? So, like, we’re kinda the same, in a way! How awesome is that?”

Nagisa’s frown slowly turned into a smile. “...Awesome.”

“Yeah, yeah! What’s your name?”

“Yuuki Nagisa.”

“Ooh, that’s a super pretty name! My name is Nakahara Lisa! Nice to meet you!”

“Hello.” Nagisa took another attempt to stand up, but fell to their knees once again.

“Do you need help?”

“Yes.”

Lisa grabbed Nagisa’s hand and gently pulled them up. “There you go!”

“Thank you.”

“Mhm!” Lisa excitedly hopped up and down. “Man, I can’t believe I’ve already made a new friend! This is awesome! You’re awesome! Everything is awesome!”

“Awesome…”

“Hey, let’s get to know each other!” Lisa got all up in their personal space and bore a wide grin. “So, so, what do you wanna be when you grow up?!”

Nagisa bluntly replied, “A fish.”

“That’s so cool!” Lisa babbled, “Well, I wanna be a super pretty princess, and everyone will bow to me! I’m gonna give them presents, and make everybody smile! And, like, their smiles are gonna be so huge, their mouths are gonna fall off!” She giggled, “But, yeah, that’s what I wanna be!”

“Awesome.” Nagisa added, “Hmm… let’s be princesses.”

“Both of us? Together?”

“Yes.”

“That sounds super fun! Oh my god, you’d look super pretty in a princess dress! I think that it’d be blue! Yeah… blue fits you perfectly!”

“Blue…” 

“Wait, but dresses are, like, super expensive, so maybe you can wear a super cute blue hat… with some shoes… a jacket… some pants…”

“Hmm.” Nagisa nodded in agreement. “Awesome.”

“And y’know where we can go, and look super trendy and cool and awesome?! Tokyo!”

“Tokyo…?”

“Yeah, Tokyo! It’s a super cool city, and I heard that it’s really awesome! If we go there, we can buy super cute clothes and become princesses!”

“Tokyo… princesses… fishies…”

“Hey, do you wanna go there with me someday?”

“Yes. Yes.” Nagisa grabbed Lisa’s hands and excitedly declared, “Yes, I do. Tokyo… I wanna go…!”

“Yay~! Awesome!” Lisa tightly hugged Nagisa and quickly pulled away. “We’re gonna go there when we’re older, for sure! I promise! It’s gonna be, like, the most biggest thing ever!”

“Awesome…!”

“I know, right?! I can’t wait! Wait…” Lisa paused and took another glance at Nagisa’s wounds. “Gah, I forgot about that! You’re hurt!”

“It hurts.”

“Let’s call a teacher. They can help you! Then, after that, we can go to Tokyo.”

Nagisa cracked another smile, their eyes sparkling. “...Yeah. Let’s go.”

~~~~~

Tears began pouring down Lisa’s face, eventually falling onto the paper. “T-Tokyo… Tokyo…” She looked up at Nagisa. “N-Nagisa…?”

“Nagi told me that they’ve been upset at you.” Ruby patted Nagisa’s back, intensely glaring at Lisa. “They’ve felt like they can’t go to you for anything anymore, and that you’ve been casting them away. You even forgot the promise you made to them, and the things you dreamt of with them. And because of that, Nagisa’s lost hope in going to Tokyo with you, or even talking to you, especially because of what happened yesterday.”

“I didn’t know…”

“You’ve been casting away everyone and putting them off as nobodies, just so you can feel better about yourself and claim that you’re higher than everyone else. You’ve even become a… bully…” Anger began to boil deep in Ruby’s system. “You’re just using all of us… And all you care about is yourself!”

“And why would you wanna yell at me over all of this now?!”

“I’ve been wanting to say this to you for a while, but now it’s just gotten worse. I was afraid that our friendship would be ruined, and that things would never be the same. But you don’t seem to care about that anymore. You never have.” 

“W-Will you just shut up already?!”

“I’m tired of not saying anything! I’m done with that!” Ruby stomped on the floor as she bellowed, “I can’t stand seeing things like this! You… You’re nothing but selfish!” She darted out of the room, Nagisa chasing after her.

“H-Hey—“ Lisa reached out her hand towards Ruby and Nagisa, but it was too late. 

She really did lose everyone.

_ N-No… it’s not my fault. It’s not my fault. I’m not selfish. I’ve never been selfish. I… I’m… _

Lisa crumbled up the piece of paper and threw it on the floor, repeatedly stomping on it and allowing her fury to consume her.

_ Shit… Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit! Shit! _

“I’m just as bad as Kenta. I’m just as bad as  M om and  D ad. I-I’m…”

She fell to the ground, smashing her head on the floor as she winced out of pain.

“I hate—Agh! I hate everyone! I-I hate this! Stupid… T-This is all stupid… I… I’m so stupid! This is all my fault…!”

Lisa continued to weep, her own actions torturing her mercilessly. 

Moving to Tokyo was nothing but a distant dream, and it would seemingly never come true.


	35. A Song for You (Part 3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy decides to go over to Lisa's house and attempt to help her out.

Lisa didn’t bother going to school the next day. All she wanted to do was lie in bed and stare at the ceiling. It’s not like she had anything else to do, anyway. To keep her parents from forcing her to get up, she even faked that she was badly sick and locked the door. She planned to stay that way for the rest of the school year, and nothing could stop her, not even her own dreams. They were completely shattered, anyway. And not only that, but she felt shame.

She might’ve received her first kiss, but she didn’t even feel anything, and neither did Reese. But she was so desperate to find her answer and feel a love that wasn’t there, she kept going and asked for it anyway. Worst of all, Reese most likely already had a girlfriend, and Lisa’s actions weren’t justified. And if that wasn’t already hard enough of a blow, almost everyone in the Anime Club is pissed at her, especially Nagisa, Ruby, Min and Rudy, who were the first few people to form the club along with Lisa. They swore that they, the quintet, would never fall apart, but in the end, these future occurrences proved them wrong. And Lisa knew it was all her fault. So all she could do was quit and run away before she could make things worse.

All her life, she’s had a selfish side to her that’s she’s kept hidden until she moved to Missouri. Once her past aspirations were crushed, she put it off as nothing and began reaching towards a new goal. There’s nothing wrong with that in itself, but her vain nature took over her entirely and caused her to shut out everyone and everything, and even curse them for existing. The only thing left to do was curse her own self and bask in her own shame.

Possibly even die.

There was no prince to save her in this story. The book had closed, only to leave off with a bad ending. It would never be rewritten, and it would only be casted away. Her story was just another useless speck of dust in this world.

But maybe there would still be a chance to be saved. Lisa sure didn’t believe in one, but there was someone out there who did. 

Rudy attempted calling Lisa for around ten minutes, only to find out that her phone was probably just on silent. His worry only grew due to this, especially since she hadn’t gone to school that day. It was none of his business, really, but he cared about Lisa. She was the first person he had met that shared similar interests with him. When they got to know each other, they instantly clicked and became closer than ever. He couldn’t just leave her to suffer. Sure, he had some lecturing to do, but a true friend would never abandon another. He just couldn’t do such a thing, and he never would. 

And so, arriving at his home after school, he decided to call Lisa’s mother and awaited her response as the phone rang.

“Hello?” A voice spoke through the phone, “Who is this?” 

“Oh, hey,” Rudy replied, “This is Lisa’s friend, Rudy. Are you busy?”

“Not at all. But if you’re calling for Lisa, she’s terribly sick, and won’t come out of her room.”

“Ah…” Rudy’s worry only increased by tenfold. “I wanna talk to her. It’s really important, and… I just miss her. A lot of stuff has happened at school lately.”

“Really? She hasn’t told me about any of this. In fact, she barely tells me anything.” 

“Oh… Well, is it okay if I can come over for a bit? I won’t trouble you for too long.”

“I don’t suggest that. I don’t want you getting sick, too.”

“Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. I know what I gotta say to Lisa. I’ve… been thinking about it all day.” Rudy solemnly mumbled, “And it’s about time I pick up on these things, anyway…”

“...You may come over. Just stay sanitized and take precautions. Make sure she doesn’t sneeze on you or anything.”

Rudy lightly chuckled. “Alright, thanks, Mrs. Nakahara.”

He hung up the phone and put on his scarf, prepping for the cold weather awaiting him. He was trustworthy enough to the point he could leave the house, and have his mother assume that he was going to meet up with a friend, so that wasn’t much of a problem.

Once he opened the front door and walked on the sidewalk, the cold winter air met the warmth of his blood, as he wrapped the coat around him tighter and shivered.

_ It’s not even that cold, but… Ah, I should’ve brought a thicker coat with me.  _

Despite the weather, Rudy observed the beautiful winter scenery surrounding him and was just in awe of Missouri’s beauty. He’s gotten used to this, since he moved to the state at a young age, but the sight of the beautiful winter snow was something burned into his memory. If he had still lived in Puerto Rico, he would’ve never experienced any of this. 

And at that moment, he recalled a memory of him, Ruby, and Min-Jun playing in the snow when they were younger. 

The Myers siblings became best friends with Min-Jun as soon as they met, and it seemed like more than a miracle for Rudy. Everyday, during the winter, they would go outside, have snowball fights, make snowmen, and play childish games. It was what they looked forward to everyday, and they spent a lot of time together just messing around, but what mattered was that they loved each other more than anything. Things might’ve changed, but they were still closer than ever. And that’s what comforted them the most, even during such troublesome times. And now, they could share their many experiences with other people, and have them feel the joy they felt as young kids.

Lisa was a part of it, too.

Even if she had made countless mistakes, she was there from the start, but that’s not what mattered the most. Deep down, Lisa felt lonely and undesired, and Rudy was aware of that. Even Nagisa knew this, but ever since the incident back in Japan, it’s been difficult for them to communicate with her. Rudy felt like he had to take initiative in this situation, because at this point, he truly understood Lisa the most. 

It was strange at first, since they had way too many differences to be held accounted for. Lisa wanted to be popular more than anything, and Rudy wanted anything  _ but  _ that. Additionally, Lisa was more open about her love for idols and anime in general, while Rudy preferred to keep it to himself, or barely talk about it. But they still had similar interests and goals. More than anything, Rudy wants to overcome his fear of being around people, whilst learning to separate himself from others, so he could perfect his guitar-playing and perform in a band. It didn’t even matter if he wasn’t popular. If he were to have fun while pursuing his dream, that was already enough. On the other hand, Lisa wanted to become famous and become the world’s top idol, eradicating anything that might’ve obstructed her path. 

Deep down, everyone has selfish desires. It’s just human nature. But that doesn’t mean people don’t have any other emotions added into the mix. It didn’t make you any less of a human being, or even a terrible person. People are who they are, and they have their own beliefs. It’s a person’s actions who leads other people to determine who they are, and it sets one’s future in stone. Not everyone regrets their past actions, even if they were good or bad, but for some, it’d be natural for them to desire to undo their past actions or mistakes and change their future. Rudy was aware of all of this, for it was something he had learned throughout his life.

Lisa’s goal appeared to be within reach, but it was more far off than she could’ve ever imagined. And now, the girl who swore to never give up was finally surrendering. But Rudy knew that there was a way to motivate her and bring forth at least a speck of hope to her life. No matter how selfish she may have been, there were plenty of other people just like her inhabiting the Earth, and Rudy swore to help anyone in need. That was one of the many reasons why the Anime Club was formed in the first place. 

And Rudy wasn’t going to back down on his oath now.

Arriving at Lisa’s house, he knocked on the door and awaited for his entry. 

Twisting the doorknob and allowing the cool air to flow throughout the house, Lisa’s mother appeared before Rudy. “That was quicker than expected. Welcome.”

“Hey,” Rudy greeted. “May I come inside?”

“Of course.” 

Rudy, along with Lisa’s mother, walked inside the house and shut the door behind them. Rudy inquired, “Do you know if Lisa’s sleeping right now?”

“I’m not sure. She just hasn’t been answering me whatsoever.” 

“Hmm.” Rudy walked up to Lisa’s door. “I’m just gonna knock.” He knocked on the door three times and awaited Lisa’s response.

“Go away Rudy,” a voice ordered from within the room. “Leave me alone.”

“And now she answers,” her mother grumbled. “You need to quit that attitude of yours.”

Total silence.

“...She really doesn’t wanna talk to me.”

“Lisa, can you unlock your door?” asked Rudy.

No response.

However, a minute later, with a click, Lisa walked up to her door and unlocked it, quickly running back to her bed.

“There we go…” Rudy sighed. “I thought that’d be harder.” 

“She feels lonely, I’m guessing,” Mrs. Nakahara stated. “She hasn’t been feeling well all morning. It makes sense that she would let you in, honestly. You’re her best friend. She hasn’t really told me anything that’s been going on, but… I trust you. Go talk to her. I’ll be in the living room if you need me.”

“Alright.”

Before she could leave, Mrs. Nakahara muttered to herself, “I can’t believe it…”

Out of concern, Rudy walked up to her. “Wait, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t help my son.”

Rudy flinched. “Your… ‘son?’”

“I just don’t understand “her.” I never have been able to. “She’s” my son. Lisa isn’t supposed to be wearing these clothes, putting on makeup, getting boyfriends, or…”

“She feels happy. She feels happy with herself. But right now, she doesn’t feel happy at all. It’s hard to explain right now, but… maybe Lisa can talk to you about it after this, or something. I don’t know if she’ll be up for it…”

“I’ll try to find a way to talk to her. Perhaps she’s just been scared. She discussed this with her father and brother, but it didn’t end well. As much as I love her, I…”

“It’s gonna be fine. I’m gonna talk to her now.” 

As Mrs. Nakahara nodded, Rudy quietly entered Lisa’s room, immediately noticing the darkness of his surroundings. 

“Why are you here?” Lisa muttered, sitting on the bed, “I bet you’re only here so you can slap my face or something. You’re just a huge sadist.”

“You know that’s not why I came here.” Rudy walked up to her. “May I sit next to you?”

“Sure, whatever. Whatever gives you a closeup of my face so you can—“

“I’m not doing that.” Rudy sat beside her and continued, “This is odd for you.” 

“Well, obviously,” Lisa replied, her voice still groggy from most likely being half asleep. “There’s nothing else going for me, so do whatever you want to me.”

“I don’t think so.” Rudy got comfortable and patted Lisa’s back. “Y’know, Nagisa really misses you. They told me earlier today that they were worried about you, and wanted to know how you’re doing.”

“Mhm, sure…”

“It’s the truth.”

“Well, it’s not like anyone else would be worried about me. Why’s Nagisa even worried about me in the first place? I’m such a bitch.”

“You’re only a… uh… ‘B word’ if you turn yourself into one.”

“I already  _ am  _ one. Isn’t it obvious?” Lisa stared out the window. “But… At this point, that’s okay. At least I’m popular at school. Everyone knows who I am, and that’s what I wanted. I don’t need anything else. So even if I’m a bitch, I still got what I wanted.”

“Are you sure…? Lisa, you’re being made fun of, and there’s rumors being spread about you. That isn’t—“

“The same thing happens to everyone else, doesn’t it?! So, if it’s really true that nobody loves me, why would it matter now?”

“People love and care about you, like your mother.”

Lisa furrowed her eyebrows at Rudy. “My mom doesn’t care about me. She’s faking it.”

“But she—“

“She’s always been a faker. She’s never cared about me at all. The only times she’s cared about me is when I… when I wasn’t who I was. In her eyes, I’m still her ‘son,’ and she won’t accept the truth. She doesn’t care about reality. And it’s the same for Papa and Kentaro. They… They’re the same…! That’s why I hate them!”

“Sounds familiar.”

Lisa confusedly tilted her head. “What…?”

“You don’t care about anyone but yourself. When you’re faced with the hard truth, you deny it with all your being and deem your beliefs to be true no matter what. You’re selfish, and you don’t think twice about the things you say. You don’t take anyone seriously because compared to you, they’re unworthy of even being around you.”

“W-What the hell—?!”

“You could care less about the promise you made with Nagisa because it didn’t involve only you. You wanted more for yourself, and you never thought about Nagisa for a second. All the things you felt with them back in Japan were scraped away. You passed it all off as useless and stupid because you were sharing your biggest dream with someone else.”

“Shut up! I don’t wanna hear it! Get away from me!”

“...You’re selfish, Lisa. I hate selfish people.”

Lisa only stayed silent and averted her eyes.

“But…” Rudy continued, “If that’s the case, then I hate everyone.”

“...Huh?”

“Everyone’s selfish in their own way, and… people have their own dreams. They want to become popular… become the world’s greatest inventor… make the world shine… help others in need… become a musician… there’s all sorts of things. We all have desires. And… that’s what got me thinking.”

“Thinking about what?”

“...Maybe being a little selfish isn’t that bad. We all want certain things, and sometimes you gotta be extra needy, or try even harder to achieve your goal. When we made the club, we wanted to make friends and help other people more than anything. That’s the same goal many of us share, actually.” Rudy’s frown slowly formed into a grin. “I wanna be a musician. It’s a bit similar to your goal, actually. And that’s how we became friends in the first place.”

“You’re right…”

“A long time ago, I wanted to give up because I thought it’d be impossible to even make real friends or pick up the guitar again. It was thanks to Ruby and everyone else that I decided to not give up. And I don’t want you to give up, either.”

“...You don’t understand. I’m a terrible person, and nobody’s gonna even care if I become an idol. I’m just gonna be made fun of. Even if I’m fine with that, I…” Sobs began to wreck Lisa’s face. “I-I still want to do it anyway. I want everyone to look at me and love me. I wanna have a boyfriend. Nobody loves me, and I-I…”

“We love you.”

“No you don’t! You just said that you hated me, and who else would love me now?! It’s impossible…! I… I dug my own grave. It’s what I deserve, and I’m not even okay with that. I’m so selfish…”

“What makes you think you have to be okay with it?”

“Because it’s all my fault. Everything’s my fault. I’ve been hurting everyone all this time… I’m so stupid.”

“...Y’know, I hate fakers. Around the time I became a popular kid, I knew there were people who hated me, and back then, I kept telling myself that all the things they thought about me were right. But since I was popular, they masked themselves and pretended to like me, showering me with praise and all that. I knew they were faking the entire time, but I was scared to say anything. It only hurt me even more.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that…”

“It doesn’t happen as much as it used to, but I can tell when people are hiding who they really are. But you’re different.”

“What do you mean…?”

“You’re running away from the kids at school because they’re making fun of you, and I understand that. But… you’re here, right now, calling yourself out on all the things you’ve done. And all this time, you’ve been being yourself.“

“That… makes sense…”

“You still need to apologize to everyone, but… I don’t think you should just give up on your dream. I wouldn’t wish that for anyone, no matter who they are. So, just go for it before it’s too late.”

“...It’s already too late. I ruined everything for myself.”

“If you keep saying that, that’s gonna be the case. And you’re only discouraging yourself even more. I know how you’re feeling right now.”

“Of course you do…”

“Listen closely, Lisa.” Rudy looked into Lisa’s eyes. “What do you wanna do? What’s your biggest dream?”

Lisa hesitantly replied, “I wanna become an idol...”

“What else?”

“...I wanna make my own music. I wanna write the perfect lyrics, and show everyone that I’m the best. I wanna be loved by everyone.”

“Then do just that. Reach for all of that.”

“But…”

“You’re the only Lisa Nakahara in the world. If you wanna create something that reflects just that, then try even harder. Do it before you lose your touch.” 

“B-But that’s selfish! Everyone’s gonna hate me even more! If… If that were to happen, then nobody should be able to see me or even know who I am. Then I won’t have to be hated anymore. Then I can be selfish all I want…”

“But that’s not what you want.”

“...It isn’t.”

“Lisa… You’re a really hard worker. I like that about you, and so does everyone else. You don’t wanna disappoint your fans, do you?”

“...No, I don’t.”

“Then become an idol.”

“B-But…” Tears burst forth like a water dam. Lisa sobbed into Rudy’s chest, as they hugged each other tightly. “N-No… I can’t…”

“...You’re amazing at the piano. You should join a band.”

“A band…?” Lisa looked upwards. 

“I saw some recruitment flyers yesterday, around the time Ruby talked to me. I think you might wanna check it out.”

“...What if they don’t like me?”

“Don’t you always tell yourself that everyone adores you?”

“You’re saying that like nobody likes me. ...Which is true.”

“T-That’s not what I meant. Just pump yourself up. You never know.” 

“...I don’t know. I really don’t know about that, but… if it’s really okay to be selfish like that, then I’ll try. Just… not now.”

Rudy firmly nodded. “I understand. Are you coming to school next week?”

“...Maybe.”

“You should probably talk to your mother first.”

“Yeah, I probably should.” Lisa wiped the tears from her face and softly grinned. “I’ll make my debut again sooner or later. And you better believe it.”

“Mhm. We’ll be your first fans.”

“‘We’ll?’”

“Everyone else including me, of course. And if the club still isn’t enough for you, then I don’t know what to say.”

Lisa chuckled, “No, no, it’s fine. I’m not gonna ask for that much. You’ll just have to help me with everything from now on, or else.”

“I think I can do that.”

“Good. You better!” 

*****

The next week, Lisa walked alongside Rudy and arrived at the clubroom, already knowing everyone would be there beforehand.

“Oh, Lisa, you’re here,” Colston remarked, sitting in a rather comfortable position with his arms behind his head. 

Exempting Hyun-a, the others remained silent and awkwardly resumed what they were doing beforehand. 

Lisa shrugged and briefly sighed. “Okay, I get it, I fucked up. But can you guys listen to me for a sec?”

“And Lisa’s being serious,” Rudy added respectfully.

“They should know that already.”

“Mhm.” Before taking a seat, he looked back towards Lisa and nodded, which the latter assumed was for wishing her good luck. 

This gave her the boost of confidence she needed. And being able to accomplish such a thing meant the world to Rudy.

“Uh, so…” Lisa began in a slightly shaky voice, which began to dissipate as she continued, “I know I’ve said a lot of bad stuff and acted a bit weird, especially at the party.” First, she turned to Ruby. “Ruby, I didn’t mean what I said, I swear. I guess I was just caught up in the moment and it came outta my mouth. I’m really sorry.”

Ruby was quite shocked at her sincerity. It’s something she had never witnessed before. She only nodded and remained silent.

“And, to the rest of you guys,” Lisa went on, facing them directly, “It’s true that I probably just joined to make myself popular or take advantage of you all, but… even then, and even now, I still think of you as…” She mumbled, “My friends, I guess.”

Rudy bore a grin, radiating the sense he was incredibly proud of her. But he knew it wasn’t over. It all depended on what happened next.

“...Nagisa.” Lisa, for the first time in ages, approached Nagisa with a welcoming presence. “I’m pretty sure neither of us would be here if it weren’t for that wish we made on that day. I remember it now, and from now on, I’ll do anything to make it come true. No matter how many times we mess up, are ridiculed, or brought down. It’ll all be with you.” A genuine, warm smile grew on her face. “I’ll be with you.”

Nagisa’s breath felt tight and it took everything they had to prevent tears from falling down their cheeks. They drew in a shuddering breath, meeting the eyes which gazed at them. “You mean it?”

“Of course I do. Plus, we’re kinda the same, after all.” 


	36. Alicia’s Greatest Mission Yet...!?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alicia goes to a few of her fellow club members for assistance in enrolling into a new club. To Hyun-a’s demiss, the leader happens to be...?

“Hmmm…” Alicia intensely stared at the flyer before her, grasping onto it. “Hmm… Hmm…”

“You’ve been  _ hmm _ -ing for ten minutes straight.” Hyun-a sat beside Alicia. “What’s the matter? Is something bothering you?”

“No… Hmm…”

“Does it have to do with that flyer?” Hyun-a leaned in and read what was written on the flyer. “Oh, this is about… a band…?”

Alicia nodded. “Yeah. Rudy told me that Lisa was looking for a band to be in, and I was checking out these flyers. That’s when I started thinking…”

“Hmm?”

“Well…”

“Hmm?”

“Hmm.”

Nagisa walked into the clubroom and stroked their chin. “Hmm.”

“I-It got me thinking…!” Alicia continued, “Maybe I should try to get involved in those kinds of things! Like, uh… school activities and groups… stuff like that.”

“Good idea, kiddo. Sounds fun.” Hyun-a took another glance at the flyer. “Wait, you wanna learn how to play an instrument?”

“No, nothing like that. I’m not really interested in that sort of thing. I was thinking of… uh…”

“Hmm?”

“...Hmm.”

“Hmm.”

“...A book club!”

“A book club? Sounds fun. You’re obsessed with books, after all.” Hyun-a turned to Nagisa. “Hey, why’re you still standing? Sit here.” She pulled out the seat next to her.

Nagisa sat down and finally got comfortable. “A book club… sounds cool.”

“Yeah.” Alicia softly smiled. “If I join one of those, then I can meet a bunch of other people who like reading books like me. But…” Her voice faded off. “It’s still a bit nerve-wracking. It’s easy for me to talk to you guys, since I’ve known all of you for a while now, but… I won’t know any of these people at all. It’ll be movie night all over again. And worst of all, nobody from here is coming with me…”

“Ahhh, I totally get that.” Hyun-a chuckled, “Man, I’ll admit that I used to be a little nervous when I first started the Drama Club. I was a huge mess.”

“Really?”

“Yup! But around that time, I started getting popular, and I learned to deal with my stage fright and all the attention. I also had to deal with alotta drama back then, too, so I guess that’s how I was able to toughen up! And now that I’m not even popular anymore, I kinda take that as a relief.”

“I thought anyone would want to stay popular.” Alicia mumbled, “I mean, not me,” She added, “But it must be really neat to a lot of people. You’re loved by almost everyone.”

“Nah. Sometimes it’s just hard to do what you wanna do. And when I say ‘sometimes,’ I mean all the time. So, like, for the longest time now, I’ve finally been able to take a breather. And now, I can hang out with you cu—I mean, guys!”

“You do seem really happy here.”

“Of course I am. That’s just how much I love all of you…” Hyun-a patted Nagisa’s back. “Hey, do you love me?”

Nagisa shook their head. “No.”

“Ouch, rejection.” Hyun-a shrugged it off and hugged Nagisa tightly. “Oh well! Someday you’re gonna change your mind.”

Alicia put her hand over her mouth, concealing her giggle. “You all get along really well. I forgot to mention this a few days ago, but you’re kinda funny too.”

“Well, Dennis and I are kinda the club’s top comedians.”

“What am I, then?”

“Heh.” Hyun-a let go of Nagisa and held onto Alicia’s shoulders, getting up in her personal space. “You’re our wildcard, girlie.”

“H-Huh…?”

“In our times of trouble,” Hyun-a’s eyes sparkled, “You will be our saving grace!”

“Who, me?”

“Yes, you, Aqua! You will use the power of your cuteness and moe aspects to save our world from harm! I believe in you, Miss… Miss…”

“Ahah, my last name is White—“

“Miss White!” Hyun-a bore a smug. “Use your powers for good and make some friends at that book club, girlie.”

“But,” Alicia leaned back in her chair, “What if I don’t have any powers…?”

“Then screw everything!”

“...That’s not—“

“Will my love for you suffice?” 

“I don’t know…”

Hyun-a pouted and let out a groan. “Man, you’re no fun.” She sat back in her chair and relaxed.

“I’m sorry.”

“Nah, you’re good. But when are you planning to go to that book club thingie?”

“Hmm… I was thinking about today.”

“Perfect.” Nagisa’s eyes suddenly lit up. “They’re having an event. They’re finding new people. If you’re the twentieth person, you get a prize. You should go right now. Maybe you can win a fish, or a fish tank.”

“Woah…” Alicia stared at Nagisa in awe. “How did you…?”

“I  _ memorial… member… _ ”

“Memorized,” Hyun-a corrected.

“I memorized it. It was on the flyer.”

“Huh…?” Alicia questioned.

“Nagisa’s really good at memorizing stuff like that,” Hyun-a commented. “I was walking with them and Ruby in the hallway, and we saw the flyer for the book club. That was a little while ago.”

“Ohhh…” Alicia nodded. “I’m not good at remembering things too well. That’s why I like reading books slowly, or multiple times. It helps me process things a bit more.”

“You…”

“Hm?”

“You really are the nerdy girl I expected you to be!”

“W-Wait, is that a bad thing?”

“Anyway~” Hyun-a sang, “Do you want us to come with you? We can help, without a doubt!”

“...I won’t be bothering you or anything?”

“My schedule’s totally clear, amiga. Unless you don’t want it to be.”

“Stop hitting on Aqua,” Nagisa warned.

“W-Woah,” Hyun-a stammered out with a shocked expression, “Who taught you that?!”

“Yellow Guy.”

“...Ahahah.”

_ Wait a minute… Nagisa just called me by my nickname,  _ Alicia thought.

“I’ll go with you,” said Nagisa, managing to crack a smile. “Friends are nice. You can make lots of them. Just like a school of fish.” 

Alicia wondered, “A school of fish?”

“Yes. The Anime Club is a happy school of fish. We’re all swimming in the water together. Swish… swish…”

“Swish?”

“The Book Club, too. You can become a fish and swim with the books.”

Alicia decided to play along. “Well, how would I become a fish?”

“Go up to the people and go, ‘Hi, I’m Alicia.’ Then, you make friends. After that, you become a fish.”

“If only making new friends was that easy…”

“It’s easy for the fish. I had to become one when I saw Rudy.”

“What do you mean?”

“I thought he was bad, but all I did was turn into a fish, and we were just like each other. Then, we became friends. If everyone could become a school of fish and get along, it would be cool.”

“T-That’s so sweet…” Hyun-a held in her sobs. “Y-You’re so a-adorable! That’s the most h-heartwarming thing I’ve heard in my life!”

“What?”

“That’s actually some really good advice.” Alicia grinned at Nagisa. “Thank you!”

_ Nagisa really is a nice person. _

“But I’m still a bit worried about one thing…”

Hyun-a owlishly blinked. “What is it? You worried about meeting a super cute boy or something?”

“That’s not it…” Alicia muttered in grimace, “There could be all sorts of people there. What if they’re bullies? Predators? Kidnappers? Criminals?”

“I doubt that, girlie.”

“You never know…!”

“Y’know, you remind me of how paranoid Rudy used to be. Ah, he was so cute back then…”

“Ruby’s cuter,” Nagisa commented.

“Hmm… I dunno, that’s a close one.”

“Uh, I think you guys are really pretty, too!” Alicia stammered out, mumbling, “O-Oh, uh, what am I saying…? I-I’m sorry, I just tried to get involved in the conversation… I figured I was bothering you guys by being paranoid or something…”

“Aww, you’re good.” Hyun-a embraced both Nagisa and Alicia in a hug. “And you’re not bothering us at all! We’re happy to help, no matter what. If you feel scared about it, we’ll go with ya. How does that sound?”

“That sounds…” A smile crept up on Alicia’s face. “...Good.” She beamed, “Thank you so much!“

Nagisa departed from the hug and saluted. “Mission one: Turn Alicia into a fish.”

“W-Wait, what?”

“Splash her with water, Hat Kid! Plenty of it!” As Nagisa darted out of the clubroom to fetch a bucket of water, Hyun-a wrapped her arms around Alicia. “And once you become a fish, we gotta kiss so you can turn into a human again!”

“W-Wha—?”

_ What… What’s even going on here?! _

*****

“Alrighty,” Hyun-a prompted, “So, first, in preparation, we gotta give you a total makeover! First impressions are everything!” 

“Umm…” Alicia whimpered, “But why…? Is there something wrong with how I look?”

“Nah, I just really wanna dress you up. I used to do that a lot with Min and his siblings. And you’re giving me Aera vibes…”

“Oh. Who’s Aera?”

“She’s my delusional little sister!”

“...What?”

“She used to be super shy when she was younger, just like you right now.” Hyun-a looked closely at Alicia’s face. “Now, I could try giving you a haircut… Hmm…”

“W-Wait, my mum wouldn’t like that!”

“Oh, she wouldn’t? Nevermind, then. Phooey.” Hyun-a backed away and took a seat. “Are you good with a ponytail or something, then?”

“I don’t know why any of this would matter…”

“It doesn’t. I just wanna style your hair because I love you.”

“Oh, okay… W-Wait, wha—“

“‘Sup, homies!” Dennis bursted into the clubroom, hollering, “Embrace your in—“

“Dennis!” Hyun-a ran up to him and put her hands over his mouth. “Alicia and I were having a moment…!”

“Okay.”

“Hyun-a was giving her a haircut,” Nagisa informed, glancing at Dennis. “We need help.”

“Ooh, we’re giving Cyclone a haircut? Count me in!” Dennis beamed, sprinting towards Alicia. He pulled out a pair of scissors from his pocket. “I got you covered!”

“W-Wait!” Alicia gently pushed him away. “I can’t have a haircut! Why does everyone wanna give me a haircut…?”

“I’m gonna start with your bangs!”

“W-What? No!” 

“Alright, hold sti—“

“NO!” With a slight snip of the scissors, Alicia kicked Dennis in the gut and rapidly scooted away, shutting her eyes. 

“Ouchie.”

“Huh…?” Alicia’s eyebrows rose. “D-Dennis! I’m so sorry!”

Hyun-a praised, “Damn, you’re a killing machine, Aqua! Show me your moves! Do that to me!“

“W-What?!”

“...Your hair.” Nagisa stared at Alicia’s forehead in horror. 

“My hair…? Do you have a mirror?”

“Here.” Nagisa pulled a mirror out of her pocket and handed it to Alicia.

“Hmm…” Alicia looked into the mirror and gasped. “M-M-My bangs! Y-You can see my whole forehead! D-Dennis!”

“Whoopsies.” Dennis scratched his head and stood up. “You should’ve stood still, Cyclone.”

“What’s my mum gonna say about this…?”

Hyun-a had to admit that she felt bad. Bearing a concerned expression, she patted Alicia’s back. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have suggested this.”

“O-Oh… it’s not your fault, Hyun-a. I should’ve just cooperated.”

“I was gonna cut it like that anyway,” Dennis remarked.

“Okay Fanta, but we’re having a moment.” Hyun-a nudged Alicia’s arm. “But hey, maybe we can put your hair in a ponytail. I think that’d look nice. How does that sound?”

“That sounds… good.” Alicia smiled and nodded. “Thanks for all the help.”

_ Hyun-a is really sweet. _

“If she had a ponytail,” Nagisa stated, “Then she’d look like Ruby. A blue Ruby.”

“Ah, you’re right!” Dennis exclaimed, “They’d look like sisters or something!”

Hyun-a cooed, “Not to mention that Aqua here would look cuter than she already is…”

“No way, that’s not true.” Alicia wondered, “But do you think the people at the book club would view me differently with my hair up…?”

“Nope!”

“Wait, then why are we doing this?”

“We’re doing it for fun!”

“Oh…”

_ Sometimes I don’t get them at all… _

Hyun-a leaned into Alicia, and Alicia shut her eyes. Hyun-a grabbed a scrunchie from her pocket and styled Alicia’s hair into a short ponytail, handling her hair gently with care. And somehow, as the distance between the two of them shortened, Alicia could feel her heart pounding quicker than usual. 

“...Done!” Hyun-a clapped, Nagisa and Dennis following suit. “How does it look, guys?”

“Super cute!” Dennis beamed, “You should have your hair up more often, Cyclone!”

Nagisa nodded in agreement. “Looks good.”

“Thank you…” Alicia grinned and stood up from her chair. “So, can we head to the book club now?”

“Hmm.” Hyun-a stroked her chin. “I  _ was  _ thinking of making you and Nagisa switch clothes, but—“

“P-Please don’t.”

“Just kidding!” Hyun-a winked and grabbed Alicia’s wrist, pointing to the door. “Now’s your time to shine, moe girl! Go make some friends and beat everyone’s ass!”

“I don’t wanna hurt anyone, though…”

*****

Hyun-a, Dennis, and Nagisa walked alongside Alicia to the library, Hyun-a announcing her grand entrance. “Doseogwan! We have arrived!” 

“This is the library…! We gotta be quiet…” Alicia let out a sigh. “A-Anyway… there’s a lot more people here than I thought there would be…”

“The Book Club has a lot of people. Hmm.” Nagisa scanned the area. “They look young. And old. Lots of different people.”

“Yeah…”

“...Like a school of fish.”

“Huh? O-Oh, yeah.”

Nagisa faced Alicia, suggesting, “Hey, pretend you’re a fish. They will love you.”

“Are you sure…?” Alicia felt comfortable around Nagisa by then, but she still wasn’t sure if she should follow their advice or not.

“Well,” Dennis quipped, “Can I eat everyone if they’re a fish, then?”

“Absolutely not.” Hyun-a cringed and dug her nails into Dennis’ shoulder. “Don’t ruin their heart-to-heart.”

“O-Ow! Okay, okay!”

Hyun-a released him from her grasp and bore a grin. “So, are you gonna do it, Aqua?”

“I-I guess…” Alicia took a deep breath, calming her nerves. “So, uh, how do I become a fish?”

Nagisa cracked a smile at her response. “Become one with the ocean.” 

“How…?”

“Close your eyes.”

Alicia did as she was told. “What next?”

“Think like a fish.”

“Wait, how?”

“Fall into the ocean and open your mouth.”

“W-Wait, that’s just drowning!”

“I can dump Cyclone’s head in the toilet!” Dennis grabbed Alicia by the hand. “C’mon, let’s go—!”

“No!” 

Dennis finally let go and pouted. “Aww man.”

Alicia’s eyes darted across the library, noticing the multiple set of eyes on her. “We need to be quiet… there’s people staring at us. They’re gonna judge us…”

“I bet they’re just looking at you because you’re pretty,” Hyun-a flattered. “I mean, you have that cute little ponytail and everything.”

“I doubt that…”

Taking notice of her anxiousness, Hyun-a soothed, “Hey, don’t worry. If you’re too nervous, then we can go.”

“N-No, it’s fine, I don’t wanna go. I just gotta talk to someone and find out who the organizer is…”

“Lucky you, Cyclone!” Dennis pointed to a peculiar green-haired student with pale skin. “That girl looks like the leader type. Go and talk to her!”

“Are you sure?”

“She’s talking to everyone, and I know a leader when I see one!”

“Oh…” Alicia huffed, “I’m gonna try to talk to her, then.”

“We can go with you,” Nagisa offered. “We’re cool.”

“Totally!” Hyun-a tightly hugged Alicia. “I’ll be right by your side the entire time. That’s just how much I love you!”

Surprised by the sudden contact, Alicia stammered, “O-Oh, uh—“

“Are we getting in some group hug action?” Dennis joined in on the embrace. “Count me in!”

“W-Wait, we need to be quieter…! People are still looking at us!”

“Phooey.” Dennis let go, Hyun-a as well. “Well, anyway, let’s go up to that leader dude! She looks, like, super hip!”

Hyun-a and Nagisa nodded along.

“Yeah…” Alicia glanced at the student once again. “She doesn’t look mean or anything… I can do this.”

Alongside Dennis, Hyun-a and Nagisa, Alicia walked up to the student and mumbled, “U-Uh… hi.”

“Oh.” The girl jumped a little, but she couldn’t show any signs of vulnerability. She turned around. “Hey, are you interested in the club?”

“Y-Yeah, a little…”

_ You can do this, Alicia. It’s not that hard. You just gotta talk to someone… someone you barely know… someone who you just met. You can do this. _

Alicia looked back to Dennis, Hyun-a and Nagisa, uplifted by their silent encouragement. “U-Um…! I really, really like reading, and I wanna join your club! ...Or something… Can I?”

“Of course you can. Why do you seem so nervous?”

“S-Sorry, I just… I’ve never met you before, really…”

“Call me Melanie.”

Hyun-a broke into a sweat.

“U-Uh,” Alicia greeted, “I’m Alicia. Nice to meet you… I guess…”

“Nice to meet you too.” Melanie forced a grin. “You look like a book-lover. I think I’ve seen you in the library a couple times, too. Would you like to fill out the form for my Book Club here?”

“Sure…” 

“Alright.” Melanie took a piece of paper attached to a clipboard from the table beside them, along with a pencil, and handed the items to Alicia. “Here you go. Just fill everything out here, and I’ll approve it like lightning speed.”

“Oh… okay.” Alicia wrote the required information on the paper and handed the items back to Melanie.

“Ah, you have fancy handwriting. It’s pretty.”

“Thanks.”

“On that note, welcome to the Book Club.”

“W-Wait, it’s that simple…?”

“Well, normally it wouldn’t be, but…” Melanie had to keep up her act. “I’ve got the reputation of being a rule-breaker, so, uh… today’s your lucky day, girl!” Those words were forced to an extreme, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. “This was supposed to take, like, an entire day, but you’ve got me, so things’ll be a bit different around here.”

“Oh…”

_ Melanie seems very… lively. I wish I could be as carefree as she is. _

“U-Uh. I might not be able to attend everyday, since I’m already in another club, but, uh… I’ll do my best.”

“Nice.” Melanie shook her hand. “Thanks for signing up. Can’t wait to see you here!”

“Yeah…”

“It’s getting pretty hot in here,” Dennis teased. “Don’t you think so, Hyun-a?”

Hyun-a didn’t respond. She desperately wanted to hide. 

“What...?” Alicia let go of Melanie’s hand. “A-Anyway, uh, thank you!” Out of panic, she walked away and headed towards the entrance of the library.

Nagisa waved to Melanie. “Bye-bye.” They followed the others’ footsteps as they walked alongside Alicia, exiting the library.

“Later!” Melanie set the clipboard and pencil back on the table, watching Alicia leave.

Afterwards, Alicia, Hyun-a, Dennis and Nagisa returned to their clubroom, taking their seats. Hyun-a let out a sigh of relief.

“See? That wasn’t too bad.” Hyun-a winked at Alicia. “You totally nailed it. And I think that Melanie kid dug your ponytail.”

“You think so?” Alicia chuckled, “I’m glad, then.”

“You became a fish,” Nagisa remarked, “Congrats. Let’s have a party. A fish party with everyone else.”

“I’m good at hosting parties!” Dennis piped, “I’m gonna set it up right now!”

“W-Wait, what…?”

As Dennis and Nagisa continued their madness, Hyun-a tapped on Alicia’s shoulder. “Hey, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Well… was I able to help you or anything?”

Alicia thought this was a strange question, but enthusiastically replied, “Yeah, of course you were. I couldn’t have gone up to Melanie without you or the others’ help.”

“...That’s nice. Sometimes I worry if I’m not much help or something. I wanna be trustworthy, y’know?”

“I think you’re really dependable, Hyun-a.”

“Aww, you’re gonna make me cry.” Hyun-a grinned. “I know I can get a bit…  _ overboard  _ with the love sometimes, but y’all deserve it, y’know? And I wanna take care of you guys as much as I can. Hah, it’s good that I’m actually helping.”

“You’re a really nice person.” Alicia mumbled, “I wanna be able to help out everyone and be dependable like you, too…”

Hearing those words filled her with such joy, but at the same time, it was a spear to her heart. “You never know.” Hyun-a embraced Alicia in a hug. “Ahh, I never knew a young child’s body could be so warm…”

“Ahah, you’re a child, too.”

Min-Jun abruptly walked into the clubroom and gave a dirty look towards Hyun-a. “Uh…”

Hyun-a dramatically gasped and beamed, “Oh, hey, Min! You miss me?”

Min-Jun slowly pulled out his phone and held it up. “I’m about to call the police.”

“N-No, wait! This is innocent contact, I swear!”

“Say that to the police.”

“Wait—!”

Alicia observed the conflict between the relatives from afar, scooting away in her seat and letting out a light chuckle.

She wouldn’t mind if things stayed this way. If she could make even more friends like Melanie through the help of this club, then perhaps it’d get better with each passing day. These were the kinds of experiences she imagined once she warmed up to everyone. And maybe it wouldn’t take too long for her to become best friends with Melanie, since they were now in the same club.

_...Melanie. _

She was all Alicia could think about.

_ While I was on my way to see Lisa’s performance at the talent show, a girl that looked just like her was talking to Rudy. I don’t know what happened between them, but Rudy hasn’t said anything about it. It couldn’t have been a big deal, right…? No, and I bet it wasn’t Melanie. Maybe one of her family members. That other girl was more loud and intimidating… kind of. _

Alicia wasn’t the only one thinking about her.

And sooner or later, even more students throughout the school would, as well.

Her “secrets” got out. 


	37. Pop Quiz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rudy helps Min-Jun realize his feelings for Kieron.

Min-Jun walked up the stairs, making his way to the clubroom. He wasn’t really looking forward to anything, and he was more than happy that the school year was halfway over. Well, maybe not entirely. He still wanted to hang out with the others at the Anime Club, but classes were unbearable. Now that he was thinking about it, he hadn’t really climbed a tree in a while.

Maybe he could just hide in a tree for the rest of the school year.

...Okay, scratch that idea.

It wasn’t even  _ fun  _ being in a tree. When he started 6th grade, all he really did was hide up there and spy on random people, in hopes that nobody would notice or bully him. In the end, it turned out that he didn’t even have to worry about being bullied, but then again, anything could happen. His school was still his school. But at least he hadn’t come across anyone too troublesome, other than Lisa. It was a good thing she apologized, but Min-Jun still hoped that she actually  _ meant  _ her apology (because it was Lisa he was talking about).

He remembered that Lisa almost always brought up love, no matter the conversation. He’s never been that interested in love or relationships in the first place, and he was sure that he never would be. In all the shows he had watched, it was always in either middle or highschool that the main characters would either get a boyfriend or girlfriend. The romantic subplots made him want to barf, but as time passed, he began to not even care for them anymore, even if his younger sister Hana obsessed over them everyday along with Hyun-a. 

But maybe Min-Jun didn’t have a choice anymore.

He noticed a silver-haired boy sitting on the stairs, staring out into space, thinking about who knows what.

_ Oh, that’s Kieron. I recognize him. _

Min-Jun walked up to Kieron, a strange feeling stirring up within him. “Uh, what are you doing there?”

“Oh, hello, Min-Jun,” Kieron greeted, averting his gaze to Min-Jun. “I’m sitting here so I can recruit new members for my club. If people see me, they will ask why I’m here, and I’ll get my chance.”

“Well, have you had any luck with that?” Min-Jun sat beside him.

“Sadly, no. A student passed by me and said, ‘Ew, a murderer.’ Besides that, I have faith. Someone else will come by eventually. But maybe that person was you.”

“Y-Yeah, maybe.” Min-Jun couldn’t put his finger on why his heart was fluttering at the sight of this guy. “You never know. But honestly, shouldn’t you just go up to people yourself? Just sitting there the whole time is kinda… creepy.”

“This is the most productive way for me to recruit new members without hurting my feet. I don’t like walking.”

“Oh. Have you even made any flyers?”

“...I should’ve thought of that.” 

“Pfft.” Min-Jun scooted closer towards him and chuckled. “When Nagisa invited me to the Anime Club, they randomly handed me a piece of paper with, uh… a fish on it. I guess that’s the simplest way you could make a flyer, right?”

“I guess so. That’s actually a good idea.”

“Wait, what?” Min-Jun wanted to see him laugh, but maybe that was just impossible for now.

“Do you have any paper on you? A pen, maybe? I have an idea.”

“No, I actually don’t.”

“Hmm.” Kieron looked up to the ceiling. “It can’t be helped. Once the day is over, I’ll go home and make at least a hundred flyers for tomorrow.”

“A hundred? Exactly how many people are you planning to invite?”

“The whole school.”

“What…?”

“If I succeed, the entire school will acknowledge my true nature. And that way, I’ll have more than enough people for my History Club. Neat, isn’t it?”

Min-Jun couldn’t help but be amazed. “Sounds good to me. I hope you reach your goal.”

“I definitely will. If I don’t, I might as well die.”

“Wait, don’t do that.”

“I’m joking,” said Kieron with a blank face. “Haha. Wasn’t it funny?”

For the sake of Kieron, Min-Jun felt the urge to laugh anyway. “...Y-Yeah! Super funny.” 

“I’m glad you understand my sense of humor. I joke with random students, and they toss me a dirty look. Maybe they’re trying to be a part of the joke. If that’s the case, then I don’t understand why they wouldn’t want to join my club.”

“I mean, you should probably just get to know them first. They were probably weirded out because they didn’t know you.”

“That’s a lie. Everyone knows who I am. They’re afraid of me, but I hope that will change. I believe that I’ll find another person like Colston and the others someday. And someone like you, as well.”

Heat rose to Min-Jun’s face. “M-Mhm, yeah! Sounds good! Awesome!”

_ Why am I acting so weird? _

“...Anyway,” Kieron continued, “I have a few hours until everyone leaves the school premises. Unless you want to sit with me the entire time, I suggest you move.”

“Huh?”

“You’re too close.”

“O-Oh!” Min-Jun scooted away and stood up. “Uh…” He averted his gaze from Kieron, hiding his blush. “I-I gotta go. Good luck. Bye.” He stumbled up the stairs, barely keeping his balance.

“Bye.” Kieron put off his confusion and continued to sit on the stairs, staring off into the distance once again. “Someone will come. Anytime now.” 

Changing his course, Min-Jun ran straight to the boys’ bathroom and panted, looking into the mirror. 

_ What the…? What’s happening to me? Am I sick? _

He put his hand on his forehead and sighed.

_ Yeah, that’s right. I probably just have a fever. I’m gonna go home.  _

Walking out of the bathroom, he suddenly bumped into Hyun-a, greeted by her usual wide grin. “Huh? Hyun-a?”

“Yo, Min.” Hyun-a waved her hand and bore a smirk. “You were talking to Kieron just now, weren’t you?”

“N-No. And why’re you—?”

“I heard everything, dude. I also saw you ran into the bathroom. Your face is, like, super red right now.”

“I-I just feel sick, okay? And what are you implying? I could’ve just been taking a piss.”

“Yeah, like my entire face goes red when I’m using the bathroom.”

“You’re being weird… and gross. I’m going home.”

“Oh no you’re not.” Before Min-Jun could run off, Hyun-a grabbed his arm and pulled him back. “Didn’t you feel anything when you were talking to that Kieron guy?”

“No.”

“Are you sure~?”

“Ugh,” Min-Jun groaned, finally surrendering. “I felt really… weird, but I’m probably just sick. Maybe he was, too. Can I go now?”

“Nah, not yet. I love you to death, and we’re even family, y’know.”

“Oh no.”

“C’mon, you should tell me everything! I love you~!”

“No.”

“I’ll taser you.”

“You won’t do it.”

“You bet I will.”

“You won’t.”

“I will.”

“You won’t.”

“I will.”

“You won’t.”

“Okay.” Hyun-a hollered, “Hey, Lisa! Min-Jun called you a bad word! He’s challenging you to a battle! He also wants to sniff your hair!”

“HYUN-A!” Min-Jun put his hand over her mouth to shut her up. “Be quiet! What the hell?”

“I’m tasering you with your greatest fears. Now…” Hyun-a placed her hands on her hips. “Do you like him?”

“Like who?”

“Kieron.”

Min-Jun’s face immediately went red. He covered it up with his hands. “No.”

“I bet you do.”

“I don’t.”

“You do.”

“I don’t…!” 

“Aww, I love your reactions.” Hyun-a embraced him in a hug and patted his back. “It’s okay, Min. I’ll be more than proud of you if you ever got a boyfriend.”

“I don’t like him!” Min-Jun pushed her away. 

“Ouchie, rejection. Alright, I’ll respect your boundaries. But you can’t deny the truth.”

“There  _ is  _ no truth. I. Don’t. Like. Him.”

“Really? Min, the last time you acted that way was with that cute girl in 1st grade. Wasn’t that the girl you were in love with?”

“...Yeah, but I don’t like guys. Kieron’s just a friend. Besides, I barely even know him.”

“But I bet you wanna get to know him a whole lot more, don’t you?”

“Obviously. But in a platonic way!”

“Mhm, sure.” 

“You seriously still don’t believe me?”

“I believe in the truth and the truth only. Min, you have a crush on Kieron.”

“No I don’t!”

“Are you sure about that?”

Min-Jun lowered his head in realization. “...Shit.”

*****

“Min…” Rudy looked up at a tree and crossed his arms. “Why are you up in that tree again?”

Min-Jun gripped tightly onto a tree branch. “I have the flu. If you don’t wanna get sick, you should back away.”

“Min, if you had the flu, you wouldn’t be here at school.”

“...I can cheat the system.”

“Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not. I’m going through an existential crisis that’s gonna end my life.”

“Oh. Did something happen?”

“Uhhh…”

_ Hold up, Rudy’s the perfect guy I can talk to. He’s gay as hell. He’ll understand. _

“Yeah, I’ll tell you in a bit. Let me get down—“ The tree branch suddenly broke, sending Min-Jun to the ground. “...Ow.”

“Min-Jun!” Rudy ran up to him and kneeled down. “Are you okay?”

“...That’s a good question.” Min-Jun sat up and ran his hand through his hair. “Crap, it got all messed up. That was the work of the devil, I swear.”

“The devil?”

“Forget I said that.” Min-Jun stood up and brushed off the dirt from his pants. “Anyway, uh, can we talk at your house?”

“Oh, I thought you’d wanna go to yours.”

“No way. Mine is… too busy.” 

“Oh, okay. Anyway, why do you still climb trees?”

“Seriously? I haven’t done that in almost three years, and now you’re asking why I’m doing it, like I’ve been climbing trees all this time?”

“It’s probably just because I’m scared of heights. Besides, I never thought it’d become a habit of yours…”

“It’s not a habit, dude. I’m just… confused. And conflicted.”

“Does this have to do with what you have to tell me?”

“Indeed it does.” Min-Jun pointed to Rudy. “Hey, you’re gay, aren’t you?”

“...What?”

“Do you think men are hot?”

“Yes, but isn’t that question a little out of the blue?”

“Would you bang a guy?”

“What?!” Rudy stammered out, “W-What do you need that information for? But it’s not like I  _ would _ , but—“

“Okay, so you would.”

“...I’m scared, Min. Please cut out the dirty talk. You’re going to end up like Dennis and Hyun-a.”

“Chill out, I’m not gonna be creepy. I just asked you a simple question. Anyway… when did you find out you were gay?”

“When I was, uh… eleven, I think.”

“That’s hella early.”

“...Wait, are you—?”

“No.” Min-Jun grabbed his arm, walking towards the school’s exit. “Alright, we’re going to your house. No explanations until we get there.”

“Hey, wait a minute! You’re being weird!”

“No I’m not. You’re being weird.”

“I didn’t even get my stuff! Hold on!”

“Hah, and here I am being the pushy one for once.”

“This isn’t funny, Min!”

Min-Jun sucked in a deep breath. “Can you please stop freaking out over everything for one second?”

“First you ask me if I want to bang— ...Have intercourse with someone, and now it just seems like you’re trying to kidnap me. I don’t feel very safe right now!”

“Dude, we’re best friends! Why the hell would I kidnap you?!”

Rudy bore a smirk. “Heh.”

Min-Jun stopped in his tracks with a confused expression. “What? What’s so funny?”

“I never thought that it’d be possible for you to admit that, Min.”

“Admit what?”

“That we’re best friends.”

“Y-You—!” Min-Jun’s face flushed red. “T-That was just an entire act for me to admit that?!”

“I just thought it would be nice to hear.”

“Ugh.” Min-Jun let go of Rudy’s arm and averted his eyes. “W-Why? You already know that we’ve been friends for ages.”

“It’s just that you’ve been asking me for help more often.” Rudy smiled. “It just makes me happy, I guess. But now I’m starting to wonder if I’m any help…”

“W-Well, I ask you for help with stuff for a reason. Ruby already has a bunch of stuff going on, and… I just know you better than anyone else. Plus, you know about the thing with my… my mom.”

“Oh.” Rudy frowned. “Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“Uh… that’s just a small part of it. There’s something bigger than that. I don’t wanna say it here.”

“Oh, okay.” Rudy scanned the area. “We’re almost there. Wanna run to my house?”

“Nah, I’ll pass. My legs still kinda hurt from the fall.”

“Then how were you able to run and drag me all the way out here without any issues?”

“...Magic.”

“Min, if you don’t race me, then I won’t let you bring those playing cards to the club anymore.”

“You can’t force me.”

“You bet I can.”

“...You won’t dare.”

“I dare.”

“...You’re on. One two three, go.” Min-Jun sprinted away in the blink of an eye.

“Hold on a minute, you’re cheating! I didn’t even get to count!” 

“Meh, too bad.”

“Wait, be careful, don’t fall—“

With a thud, Min-Jun fell onto the sidewalk face-first.

“M-Min-Jun!”

*****

Min-Jun heavily sat on the couch, seemingly falling into it, and slouched. “I’m done climbing trees. I’m done running.”

“You need to be more careful.” Rudy sat down beside him. “Does your head still hurt?”

“No, I’m fine. But you’re the one who wanted to race me.”

“I didn’t think you’d run at the speed of light  _ on the sidewalk, _ for that matter. There was a small field of grass.”

“Yeah, I bet it’d be more entertaining for you to see me tumbling down the field. How low, Rudy.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Rudy sat stiffly with a straight back, facing Min-Jun. “But are you in the mood to talk right now?”

“Are your parents just gonna walk in and scream like the Spanish people they are or something?”

“They’re out somewhere, and Ruby’s out with Nagisa. Nobody’s gonna be here for a while.”

“Oh, okay, that’s convenient.” Min-Jun stretched out his legs. “Yeah, I can talk. But don’t just jump to random conclusions out of nowhere, okay?”

“I won’t.”

“Alright…” Min-Jun took a deep breath and took his time to relax. “So… you remember that Christmas party, and that Kieron went there, right?”

“Yeah, I remember. He was there.”

“Right. So, uh… I felt really weird around him, and apparently that wasn’t gonna be the only time. When I talked to him this afternoon after class, my face was heating up like crazy, and I figured that I was getting sick, but Hyun-a thought something different. I also felt, like, super nervous around Kieron for no reason.”

“Oh, you like him.”

“Y-You said you wouldn’t jump to random conclusions!”

“But it’s true. Don’t you have a crush on him? Isn’t that what this is all about?”

“Ugh…” Min-Jun groaned and facepalmed. “Fine! I like him!”

“That’s what I thought. Why’re you denying it?”

“B-Because…! My dad is like, super Christian, and so is the rest of my family! And I don’t like guys! I like girls! Girls are super hot! Boobs, boobs, boobs, boobs!”

“...You could just be bisexual.”

“No. No. No…”

“Have you found any other boys to be attractive?”

“...Ugh, of course I have! Stupid school! Stupid Earth! Why can’t I stop staring at Colston? Why am I so nervous when I talk to boys? Why’s Dennis super cute? Why do I stare at abs?!”

“That’s a little bit too much information there.”

“N-No, I don’t like them… my dad would kill me! Aera’s gonna make fun of me, Hana and Chin-wa are gonna shove the stupid Bible in my face, and—“

“Calm down, Min! I haven’t seen you like this in forever…!”

“Well, it’s not my fault that Kieron is so interesting, cool, hard-working, cute, hot—I mean,  _ not  _ annoying! Why is this all happening to me now? I can’t even look at  _ you  _ normally!”

At that moment, breaking the silence, Rudy bursted into laughter.

“What?”

“Sorry, sorry, I just…” Rudy continued to giggle, “But, y’know, I was literally just like you when I was eleven. It’s like seeing a mirror of myself…”

“Oh, so now you’re making fun of me.”

“No, no, that’s not it at all. But you don’t have to worry that much. I mean, you don’t really have to come out right away.”

“I’m still confused, though. I mean, I’ve only started paying attention to boys this way ever since mid last year, and it’s starting to show even more… is it just puberty? Am I turning into a sex-hungry teenager?”

“I doubt that.”

“Ugh…”

“There’s nothing wrong with liking boys, y’know. And you can still like girls more than boys, if that’s how you are.”

“I know there’s nothing wrong with it, but my dad’s gonna think the opposite…”

“You’re just gonna have to reason with him. I can’t reason with my dad on anything, but I’m sure yours might understand.”

“No, it’s not that simple. And he still doesn’t even approve of all that dark magic stuff I’m into. He thinks I’m gonna turn into a weirdo.”

“Well, I still think you should try talking to him. Explaining things is better than not saying anything at all.”

“You’re right, but…” Min-Jun solemnly frowned. “It’d be better if Mom were here. She wouldn’t care about it or make it a huge deal at all. All I’d have to do is tell her, and everything would be fine.”

“Oh…” Rudy scooted closer to Min-Jun. “I remember. When we used to go out to play a lot, you’d always go straight to your mom and tell her about everything that we did. You really trusted her with that stuff, didn’t you?”

Min-Jun nodded. “Yeah. She’s basically the only person I can really go to about this stuff, but now that she’s not here, I…”

“You haven’t been open about your magic stuff at all in the club, or anywhere else.”

“Because it’s weird.”

“How come?”

“I’ve been trying to tell myself that I don’t believe in those sorts of things. They really are super childish, but… I can’t help it. And I don’t wanna be made fun of at school or anything, so it’s not like I can talk about it.”

“You know we’re not gonna judge you.”

“Y’know, some of the people in our club are total blabbermouths.”

“...That’s true.”

“Heh. Whenever I wanna talk about it, or when I’m really into it, I think about what Mom said to me a long time ago. She told me that when I’m feeling lonely or upset, all I gotta do is believe in magic or something, and she’ll appear right by my side. She also said that there would be these magical creatures protecting me or something. I was still super young, but… Yeah, isn’t it weird that I still believe in that stuff?”

“Your mother was very sweet. I think it’s nice that you still remember what she told you.”

“Yeah… she was nice to everyone. I’d go to her for almost everything, and she always had the perfect answer. And now… it’s just so stupid…”

“What do you mean?”

“I have the Anime Club, and I even have Hyun-a, but I still feel scared to talk to anyone. I haven’t changed at all. So it’s my fault that I haven’t been able to be more open with my magic stuff… my video games… and all of that. And now, to make it even worse, I’m gonna have to tell my family I like boys. What if they don’t love me anymore?”

“Min-Jun… they’re not going to stop loving you.”

“How do you know for sure, huh?”

“If your father didn’t love you, then he wouldn’t have bought all of those games and consoles for you.”

“...That’s true, but now he’s probably just pissed because that was the last of all his money.”

“He spent the last of his money on  _ you  _ because he loves you.”

“...But still, he’s gonna misunderstand everything. Plus, he’s super stressed right now, and he’ll probably disown me.”

“He’s not gonna disown you. You should just wait for the right moment to come out to him. That’s what I had to do.”

“...I guess. And, lemme guess, I’m gonna have to wait ten years.”

“If you say that, then that’ll be the case.”

“Ugh…” Min-Jun looked off into the distance, a silence falling upon them. “...Y’know, remember that thing I said, where my mom told me to believe in magic and all of that?”

Rudy firmly nodded. “Yeah.”

“Well… maybe magic really isn’t real. Mom still hasn’t come back, and nobody knows where she is. I still have faith that she’s alive, but it’s only a matter of time ‘till I just give up. So… magic really  _ is _ stupid.”

“...When we were little kids, I remember that you imagined yourself as a dragon. You’d always chase after Ruby and I, and Ruby would take you down. And whenever you tripped, we’d both pick you right up again. Ruby even taught you how to climb trees so you could defend yourself from up there. It was a lot of fun. Are you still a dragon, Min?”

“Of course not. That was… stupid little kid stuff. Besides, that’s just cringy.”

“I don’t think it’s  _ cringy _ ,” Rudy laughed. “I was thinking that maybe… if you could be a dragon again, you could feel a bit more free, and we could all play together like we used to again. And maybe you’d be really happy.” 

“I don’t think that’s gonna make Mom come home any sooner, though.”

“She’ll come eventually. And when she does, you can show her your ultimate form.” Rudy stood up from the couch.

“Oh no, not this again.”

“You remember? C’mon, stand up.”

“...Ugh, fine.” Min-Jun got up, as the duo pointed to the ceiling.

“Master Min-Jun, elucidate our ultimate plan!”

“We’ll pierce through the hearts of our enemies and eat them for breakfast!”

“How scintillating, sire! How will we do it?”

“We’ll infiltrate the enemy base and attack with all our might. Our final battle will peak at dawn!”

“Shall we bring in Major Ruby, sir?”

“Yes! Bring in… our ultimate weapon! Her power is over nine thousand!”

The duo paused for a moment, and broke out into hysterical laughter.

“Why did you search up so many big words back then?” Min-Jun scoffed, “Ruby couldn’t even pronounce them!”

“I wanted to sound smart! You were guilty of that, too!” Rudy quipped, “You and your ‘ultimate weapon’ business!”

“Yeah, but whenever I brought out the three-headed dog, you were screaming like crazy! Did you seriously think a non-existing dog was gonna eat you?”

“I’m not a dog person!”

“You’re not an  _ animal _ person!”

Once the two of them calmed down, they sat back on the couch and relaxed, wide grins plastered on their faces. 

“See? Wasn’t that fun?” asked Rudy. “I could tell you were really happy.”

“Yeah… that felt amazing, actually. I haven’t felt this free in ages.” Min-Jun clicked his tongue. “Ugh, but Dennis would totally take video and expose me on the internet.”

“I could just tell him not to.”

“You can’t trust that guy, Rudy.” 

“Then I could just steal his phone.”

“...Genius.”

“So, wanna become a dragon more often?”

“The way you’re putting it sounds way too cringy. You could at least say, ‘Hey, Min, wanna be free from the pressure of being accepted by your peers and family?’”

“I’m not  _ that  _ serious. That sounds like something out of a college essay.”

“Dude, your writing and reading is college-level. And you literally sit so formally, I bet you get back pain all the time. You’re even doing it right now.”

“Well, it’s a good thing that my back doesn’t hurt.”

“Seriously, sometimes, you’re way too… polite. It gives me a headache. Like, who says ‘perhaps’ or ‘excuse me’ at the age of fourteen?”

“Kieron does the same.”

“Don’t… bring him up.”

“Yeah, you’re totally lovesick.” Rudy gave off a smug look. “When are you gonna ask him out? Now’s the perfect time to go on dates with all of this winter stuff going on.”

“I-I’m not gonna ask him out!”

“That’s the natural thing to do when you like someone, though.”

“No it’s not! I’m not gonna date him!”

“You sure? Didn’t you call him ‘hot?’ He’d really appreciate all of those compliments at a fancy restaurant…”

“Y-You…!” Min-Jun’s blush burned through his cheeks, his face only heating up. “I get it, I get it! Quit it!”

“Alright, alright.”

“Why does everyone keep teasing me like this…?”

Rudy suppressed his chuckle, his smile growing larger. “Anyway, do you wanna get a snack? How about some chips?”

“Uh… yeah, sure. Do you even have any left?”

“There’s plenty. You can stay right there. I’ll get some for you.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I’m gonna bring a whole bag… don’t eat them all like you did last summer.”

“I won’t, I won’t. That was just stress-eating.” Min-Jun quietly mumbled, “I feel great now.” 


	38. A Song Left Unfinished (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lisa enters the clubroom belonging to the Music Club and greets her new fellow bandmates.

“Rudy, listen!” Lisa exclaimed, bursting into the clubroom, “I—“

“Please don’t be so loud.” Rudy set down a stack of paper on the table.

“Oh, sorry.” Lisa lowered her tone, “But, uh, remember when you said that I should join the band being advertised a little while ago?”

“Yes. Have you auditioned yet?”

“Uh, the thing is… where is the band, exactly?”

Rudy sighed and left his seat. “It’s where the Music Club is. Want me to take you there?”

“Wait, you already know where it is?”

“Lisa, the room number is on the flyer.”

“You know I don’t pay attention to that stuff!”

“That’s something you need to start on. Anyway, want me to take you there?”

“Nah, I can do this by myself. They’re gonna accept my audition in no time!”

“Good luck.” Rudy sat back down and continued to add papers to the stack. “I hope you get in.”

Lisa curiously looked over Rudy’s shoulder. “Yeah, but what are you doing?”

“Stacking papers.”

“...I can see that.”

“Kaitlyn received all of these Drama Club applications, so I’ve been looking through them for her. Even though she’s supposed to do it herself, she said she was really busy.”

“Yeah, that’s probably a lie.”

“Well, whether it’s a lie or not, no amount of persuading is gonna make her do it, so I might as well. Hyun-a’s gotten sick of it.”

“Understandable. But, anyway,” Lisa darted out of the room, “I’m gonna go become famous and impress the… uh, band! Bye!”

“Bye.”

Lisa sprinted towards the bulletin board located nearby with a grin plastered on her face.

_ Alright, all I gotta do is play a song, and I’m gonna get in! I can’t wait! ...They better not judge me as soon as I walk in, though. Ugh, that stupid talent show. Y’know, those sorta things don’t need to exist anymore. But… maybe I can still amaze them…! No, I can! Lisa Nakahara is gonna make her debut! ...Uh, a second time! _

She looked up at the Music Club’s flyer and read what was written.

_...Oh, I know where that room is. I keep hearing guitars and drums coming from there whenever I walk by. Hah, I knew this would be easy! _

Lisa didn’t even know why she was so excited about taking part in a band. When it came to her biggest dream, joining or even creating a band was the last thing in mind. Whenever she thought of bands in America, she figured they were all hardcore metal-based and edgy. She missed going to the concerts of her favorite bands back in Japan, for the majority of them were more her style. And yet, here she was, auditioning to be a part of an already-existing band that wouldn’t have her as the leader. But if it meant that she would at least make her own music (in a way) and become popular, her biggest dream would still come true, somewhat. She also figured it’d be easier to reach for success with other people by her side. 

She walked to the location of the Music Club, excitedly humming to herself.

_ I wonder what the people are gonna be like? I hope they won’t be too extreme… if it’s, like, a hardcore rock band, then they probably will! And if that’s the case, then I’ll have to be careful. I don’t want them tainting my cute girl image. But then again, it might not be that bad. I mean, most of the kids in this school kinda suck, but they’re not all bad. Maybe the band people are gonna be like Nagisa and the others…! I can’t wait! _

Arriving before the Music Club, she stood in front of the door and took a deep breath.

_ Okay… it’s time for me to make a good impression. I’m Lisa… I’m gonna play the piano… I’m gonna play the song I did for the talent show but better. No, screw the talent show. I should just forget about that. ...And Reese. And my smack talk. Ugh, why can’t I remember other stuff, but I remember those stupid things? Get a grip! _

In spite of her slight fear, she opened the door and hollered, “Lisa Nakahara has arrived!”

All the club’s members could do was stay silent, as they sat at a table and stared directly at Lisa.

Finally breaking the awkward silence, a boy with round glasses, dark brown hair and orange eyes lifted his head from the table and said, “...Oh, hi. What’s up?” From first glance, Lisa assumed he was the lazy one. 

“Can you not burst into the room like that?” said a girl with grey eyes and purple hair tied up in a long ponytail. She was obviously the leader. “We were having an important discussion.”

“C’mon, loosen up a little, Vega!” A silver-haired and blue-eyed girl nudged Vega’s arm, all with a monotone voice and look. “You’re not castin’ a good impression on anyone, y’know. Sooner or later, they’re gonna mistake you for a delinquent!”

“There’s no way that’s going to happen. Our band is supposed to be serious.”

“Yeah, yeah, sure.”

In the middle of all the commotion, Lisa noticed a white-haired boy with unusually colored eyes staring off into the distance, sweating for some reason. 

“Can I talk now…?” asked Lisa.

“Oh, yeah, sorry about those two.” The brown-haired boy stood up from his chair and walked up to Lisa. “Hey, wait a minute, I recognize you. You’re that pink-haired girl who embarrassed herself in front of everyone, aren’t you?”

“...Sadly, yes.”

“You have an amazing singing voice. And the way you played that piano… spectacular…”

“Um, who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Kepler. I’m the leader of this band. It’s called Supernova.”

Lisa couldn’t help but be amazed. “You’re the leader…? I… was  _ so _ not expecting that.”

“Yeah, nobody suspects it,” he joshed, “But I take it that you’re interested in joining our band, no? You do play the piano, after all.”

“Yup! All I gotta do is play the piano, right?”

“Well…” Kepler looked back to Vega. “I’d say that you’re automatically in, ‘cuz we’ve been desperate to find a keyboardist for ages who’s actually willing to join, but Vega here didn’t see your performance, so you’re gonna have to play.”

“That’s fine! That means I get another chance to show off my awesomeness! ...Without screwing up!”

“You’re pretty confident. Thank god.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind. Sit down with us for a bit.” Kepler pulled out a chair for Lisa and watched as she sat down. He then took a seat and slouched in his chair. 

“Who even is this girl?” asked Vega, “I’ve never seen her before. How do we know if she’s even trustworthy?”

Lisa muttered, “Wow, talk about a heavy blow.”

“What did you just say?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m already not a fan of you.”

The silver-haired girl facepalmed and patted Vega’s back. “Vega, you need to be nicer to people.”

“It’s not my fault that a random girl we don’t know just walked into our clubroom without a care in the world, Carina.”

“Nothing I say will get to you… oh well, at least I’ll have better luck with Bryce! Right, kiddo?”

The beige-haired boy, who appeared to be named Bryce, turned around. “Huh? Uh, yeah, sure.”

“Gee, you look so out of it. We got a new member! At least, I think so!”

“Really? Well, that’s a good thing.”

“You should show some more enthusiasm there,” Kepler remarked. “Anyway, I’m sure you all, except for Vega, know who Lisa is. She got last place in the talent show.”

“Oh yeah, that pink girl!” Carina leaned in towards her and shook her hand. “Your singing was epic, though! Nice to meet you!”

“Uh, thanks, but I don’t wanna be known for getting in last place,” Lisa mumbled. 

“Makes sense.” Kepler folded his hands and sat in a formal manner. “I won’t mention it again. But are you interested in hearing her play, Vega?”

“Absolutely not.” Vega crossed her arms, avoiding eye contact with her fellow band members. “If she got last place, why would we need someone like her in our band in the first place? Supernova is only for the talented, not the weak. We could just find another pianist.”

“Hey!” Lisa blurted, “It was only because of a stupid screw-up! I barely gave myself any time to even make the song or the lyrics, but if I played the piano here, I bet I could blow your socks off!”

“Oh, really? I’d like to see you try..” 

“Vega!” Kepler hissed, “Stop being—“

“You’re on!” Lisa hopped off her chair and walked up to the piano located in the clubroom, taking a seat. “I’m gonna play this thing, whether you like it or not.”

“Ooh, I wanna hear this!” Carina piped, “Go, pink girl! You can do it! Woo!”

Lisa couldn’t tell if she was being sarcastic or not due to her monotone voice, but ignored it and placed her hands on the keys. 

Somehow, she felt more nervous with being in front of four other people, despite having performed in front of almost the entire school. She didn’t know where all her confidence went, but all she knew is that she didn’t want to fail to prove herself to anyone else any longer. She then remembered what Rudy had said to her, and felt a bit more relaxed. 

Once she was ready, she began playing the song she had previously performed but with extra dynamics. She unconsciously sang the lyrics out loud and closed her eyes, fully engaged in the rhythm, just as she had imagined the previous year. She still had made a few slip-ups as sweat dripped from her forehead, but she felt a wave of relief once she finished.

“...So, how was that?”

“Amazing! Awesome! Super awesome!” Carina clapped her hands and stared in awe.

“Tch.” Vega clicked her tongue and faced the opposite direction. “Not as good as I thought it’d be.”

“Quit being such a sour puss, you liked it!”

“No I did not.”

“I thought it was good.” Bryce smiled. “Good job.”

Lisa wasn’t used to getting so much praise (ignoring Vega’s comment). “Hah, I know, right? Thanks!”

“Hmm…” Kepler ran his hand through his hair. “Uh, this might be a bad time to ask, but do you have a keyboard?”

“Nope. Why?”

“It’d be nice if you could be our keyboardist  _ and  _ vocalist, but you kinda need a keyboard.”

“Oh.” Lisa pouted and solemnly looked downwards. 

_ Well, I guess I already ruined my chance from the start. Lucky me… wait… hold on… _

“Wait!” Lisa beamed, “I have, like, two super rich friends, and I can ask them to buy a keyboard for me!”

Kepler chuckled, “And you can’t buy one for yourself?”

“I don’t have any money, but Rudy and Ruby do! Yeah, I’ll just ask them for money!”

“Interesting.”

“Ahh, I’m so happy!” Carina enthusiastically ran up to Lisa and gave her a hug from behind. “I’m glad you’re gonna join us! It’s about time we have a keyboardist  _ and  _ vocalist! I can’t wait!”

“Yeah… even though we don’t even have a band concept yet,” Bryce commented.

“Man, she isn’t supposed to know that!”

“U-Uh,” Kepler elucidated, “We were gonna tell her eventually. Anyway, Lisa… we don’t really have themes for our songs yet. So, you might wanna consider that if you really wanna join our band.

_ Huh?  _ Lisa thought,  _ Wait a minute, they don’t even have a concept yet? No song themes either? Did I just get mixed into a pack of weirdos? _

“Don’t look at us like that,” Vega scolded, observing the dirty look on Lisa’s face. “The fact that we don’t have an overall concept for our band has its advantages. We can work with whatever style is on our members’ minds and remain flexible. It all depends on who gets to choose the song theme first. I guess we don’t have to delay the process anymore, thanks to you.”

“Oh, cool!” Lisa grinned and exclaimed, “So, like, can I choose since I’m the vocalist, or something?”

“Absolutely not. Our leader chooses first. Isn’t that right, Kepler?”

“Well…” he replied, “Lisa has a point. She’s the last person we’ve been looking for. She’s basically our saving grace. It’d make sense for her to choose first, especially since she’s the vocalist, too.”

“But—“

“I’m the leader, and I make the decisions. Lisa’s gonna choose the theme for our first song.”

“Awesome!” Lisa cheered, “I’m gonna make sure it’s, like, the best song ever! You can count on me!”

“Why don’t you bother focusing all of that enthusiasm on something else for a change?” Vega rolled her eyes.

“Y’know… you kinda remind me of Min, but you’re a lot more edgy.”

“...What?”

“And now that I’m thinking about it, Min actually isn’t as annoying as I thought he was…”

“Excuse me? Are you calling me annoying?”

“I dunno, am I?”

“You…!”

Carina giggled and quipped, “Things definitely got a lot more lively around here! Don’t you think so, Bryce?”

“Sure,” he replied, “Yeah, totally.” He stared off into space once again.

“So, let’s get to business,” Kepler prompted. “We already started composing a song a long time ago, but it didn’t really work out. The thing is, our lyricist, Bryce here, hasn’t made too much progress, so we’ve been stuck in one spot. Writing the lyrics first is how we work.”

“What a way to call me out,” Bryce whined. “But, honestly… meh, you’re right. I haven’t been able to find any inspiration at all. I guess life is just that boring.”

“That joke wasn’t funny,” Carina remarked.

“Wait, really? I thought I was being funny… Crap.”

“Wait,” Lisa blurted, “So can I write the lyrics? I mean, I’m gonna come up with the song theme, anyway! So, can I?”

_ W-Wait, I need to stop going off like that again… I’m just being selfish. I should let the weird kid write the lyrics instead. _

“I don’t care if the new girl does it.” Bryce leaned back in his chair. “I bet she’ll be better at it, anyway.”

“Wait, what? For real?”

“You’re already more enthusiastic about it than I am. Besides, you have tons more to write lyrics about. You got last place in the talent show.”

“If someone here mentions that one more time, I’m gonna taser you guys, I swear.”

“Good, reveal your violent impulses,” Vega muttered to herself, “So we can hurry up and kick you out.”

Unfortunately, everything was audible to Lisa. “Okay, what’s your deal? Why do you hate me so much?”

“You don’t seem like you’re gonna take anything seriously at all. If you’re so excited about being in our band, at least quit being so conceited and act seriously.”

“That’s what I’m trying to do!”

“It doesn’t seem like it whatsoever.”

“I’d like to see you try and perform in front of an audience, y’know. It took a lot of work to even get ready for that talent show. It might’ve not shown, and I wasn’t… the best, like, at all, but I’m serious about this! And I’m also serious about making it far with your band, but if you won’t accept that, then you won’t receive any help from me.”

“We don’t need your help.”

“If that’s the case, then I guess I’ll just stare at you guys during practice!”

“No, that’s creepy.”

“Well, that’s what I’m gonna do, because I’m not leaving!”

“Quit being so stubborn.”

“No!”

“Ugh, shut up!”

“Quiet, Vega!” Kepler scolded, “Sorry to break it to you, but Lisa is staying. We’re lucky enough to have someone this enthusiastic to even stay here.”

“Yeah, and the last thing we need is people taking us too seriously,” Carina murmured. 

Vega raised her eyebrow. “What are you talking about? Supernova is supposed to be serious!”

“Not to us. Not to me.” Carina frowned. “You know what’s up. Can you think about that for once? Please?”

“...Fine. But I’m not talking to Lisa.”

“Ahem,” Kepler cleared his throat, “Anyway, sorry about… all of that. It’ll all be cleared up eventually. So, Lisa, do you have any questions?”

“Actually,” Lisa wondered, “How did you guys get the name ‘Supernova?’”

“Ah, well, the four of us first met a long time ago when we were younger, and we used to be really obsessed with space and all of that. It was a real starry night when we met, and I guess it was fate. It was Bryce who remembered that, so around a year ago, we all got together again and called our band ‘Supernova,’ since it had to do with space and all that.”

“Oh, cool!”

_ Colston’s really into space, too. Maybe he can get along with the people here. I bet he’d be pretty happy. ...Wait, why am I thinking about that? _

“So, uh… I have another question. When do the lyrics have to be done?”

“Oh, well, we plan to debut with our first song on Valentine’s Day.”

Lisa gasped, her eyes widening. “That’s… in a month! We’re seriously gonna compose an entire song in just under a month?”

“Yup! We’re just awesome like that!” Carina winked, barely managing to crack a smile. “It’s a good day to perform, isn’t it? That way, we can spread all our love to everyone in the school! Doesn’t that sound awesome?”

“...Yeah, it does! Maybe we can do it…!”

“You perk right up pretty quickly,” said Kepler, “But that’s a good thing. Have you thought of anything yet? I know this is too much to ask for, but I’ve been eager to get all this done for… way too long.”

“Hmm…” 

Valentine’s Day was the holiday of love, which automatically reminded Lisa of her previous life events. The moment she met Nagisa, her feelings on moving to Tokyo, her meetings with Miette and the Anime Club, seeing Reese for the first time, and the strong feelings on her interests. She didn’t want to focus on the bad things, but maybe just that, including everything else would give her something to write about. 

“...Yeah, I think I have something in mind! I’m gonna write my ideas down tonight, I promise!”

“Sounds good.” Kepler grinned. “I’m looking forward to it.” 

And suddenly, Lisa had an epiphany. “...Oh my god, I just remembered! A super long time ago, my friend Rudy composed a melody for me to use! Maybe we can base the song on that! I still have the file on my phone!”

“You gotta be kidding me,” Vega exasperated. “You do realize we’re not just gonna let you take care of everything, right? This is our band, not yours.”

Kepler slammed his hand on the table. “Put a sock in it. I’m the only one who does most of the work, anyway. Be grateful that Lisa’s even volunteering to help with so much. Especially after… all that’s happened.”

“Whatever. But we’re still gonna have to split the work. So, how does this sound? I’ll be in charge of making sure the composition and lyrics  _ aren’t trash,  _ Carina focused on our attire and presentation, Bryce does… whatever he does, and you’re our secondary vocalist who takes care of whatever’s left.”

“Mhm, yeah, sounds good, but don’t go criticizing everyone just because they exist.”

“Wait,” Bryce questioned, “Vega, did you just insult me…?”

“Ahh, I’m so excited!” Carina exclaimed, “Hey, can we have a group hug?”

Vega shook her head. “No.”

“Why not?” Lisa tightly hugged Carina. “Hah, this actually feels real nice!”

“I can't believe any of you…”

“I’m loving Lisa already!” Carina hugged her back. “Embrace me, keyboard girl~!”

“Stop acting like kids!” 

“Nah!”

“Ugh…”

Bryce looked to the side with a melancholic expression. “Yeah, it sure is lively…Great...”

Kepler paid no mind to this and chimed in with the others. “I’m glad you’re all having fun.”

“Yup!” Lisa backed away from Carina and sat back down. “And, uh… I’m probably volunteering for way too much stuff, aren’t I?”

“Huh? What’s with the change of mood?”

“Well, Vega’s kinda right…” As Carina and Vega continued to converse, Lisa muttered, “Aren’t I being a bit too…  _ selfish,  _ leading all of this? I just joined, and this is your band.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just don’t turn into a stuck-up princess. Besides, you’re better at presenting yourself than any of us. That’s why I’m asking for so much from you. Vega’s respected by everyone, but pushes them all away and hates talking to them, Carina has a weird relationship with everyone in this school, and, Bryce, uh… he’s just really secretive. And everyone just assumes I’m super lazy, so they never really listen to what I have to say. But you’re different, y’know?”

“Oh, I get it…”

“So, are you okay with doing all this stuff?”

“...Yeah. Yeah, I am! It’s what I was made for! Thank you so much!” Lisa happily exclaimed, “I won’t let you guys down, I promise. And I bet this song is gonna be super awesome with all of us working on it!”

“That would be great. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Awesome!”

_ This isn’t so bad, after all. Nobody’s that extreme, and the songs can be however we want them to be. But, wait a minute… _

“Hey, guys? Uh, is it okay if the song can be… y’know… idol-like?”

Vega inquired, “‘Idol-like?’ Don’t tell me you want us to have a K-Pop sort of style.”

“No, that’s not what I meant! I meant—“

“J-Pop…?” Carina questioned.

“Yeah, that’s it! Are you familiar with that?”

Carina let out a gasp, her eyes beginning to sparkle. “Heck yeah! I love that sorta music! I never thought I’d meet someone who’s into that kind of thing! Oh my god…!”

“I can’t believe it! This is awesome!”

“Carina has shown me a few of those songs. But…” Kepler begged, “Please,  _ please  _ don’t make it girly. Then it’ll be the death of me.”

Lisa hesitantly nodded. “Aww man… okay!”

“I’m  _ so  _ not looking forward to this,” Vega whined.

“Pfft,” Carina held in her giggle, “You’re the one who always tells us to not complain, yet here you are now. What a hypocrite!”

“Quiet.”

Lisa thought with a grin,  _ I feel like this is gonna be a lot more fun with everyone else… this’ll finally be my chance to redeem myself, too. This way, I can show the school I’m not some random girl who sucked at the talent show! Genius…! I better make these lyrics the best they can be, then… Supernova’s counting on me. I’m even a part of them now, too, so I gotta do my best! Alright! It’s time for Lisa Nakahara’s epic debut, take two! _


	39. A Song Left Unfinished (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After multiple sessions of band practice, Supernova prepare to take the stage.

A month had passed, and Supernova’s members worked harder than ever to perfect their very first official song. Lisa made sure she didn’t slack off or practice certain things last minute, for this time, her performance would be perfect. No, Supernova’s performance would be perfect.

It wasn’t too hard for Lisa to get used to the keyboard. She actually thought it was easier to use, and was a bit more fun. She did fall a bit behind at times, since the other members had more experience with their instruments, but for some reason, there were a few days where Bryce didn’t attend practice. She assumed it was a normal thing, for the others didn’t put it off as a big deal and kept moving on, but she figured that maybe Bryce wasn’t as passionate over their debut as much as everyone else was. But maybe he was just practicing at home instead. 

It was the day before their performance in the auditorium, which they had strongly anticipated for, and they wrapped up their practice session with satisfaction.

“...Alright, that sounds good. Practice is over,” Kepler announced, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “Good work.”

“I can’t wait! We’re  _ so  _ ready for tomorrow!” Carina beamed, “Don’t you think so, Vega?”

“No,” she replied.

“Huh? Why not?”

“Bryce, you’re playing the lead guitar, yet you continue to slip-up in the simplest things. In order to keep things going, you need to follow the rhythm and play the correct chords. And, Carina, I just considered that maybe you’re a bit too far back. The audience will barely be able to see you, and the lighting might not reach you.”

“Wow, I got even more of a fatal blow than Carina,” Bryce muttered.

“And, Lisa… please stop moving around so much throughout the song.”

Lisa groaned and pouted. “But why? I’m just adding some flair to our performance!” She grinned and crossed her arms. “Dancing is the best way to convey your feelings! It gets the crowd in the groove… it brings everyone together… it—“

“I’m not here to listen to speeches.”

“Aww man.”

“Vega, you need to be less hard on everyone, alright?” Kepler placed his bass in its case and took a seat. “We’re performing tomorrow, and I think everything sounds great. If we can get in some practice by tomorrow morning, we shouldn’t have anything to worry about. Let’s take the rest of this day to relax.”

Vega rolled her eyes. “There you go, putting things off ‘till last minute again.” 

Kepler ignored her comment and looked towards Bryce. “And, Bryce, you don’t have to work that hard. All you need to do is perfect one or two chords here and there, and you’re good. And they aren’t too difficult.”

“Nah, I’m gonna keep practicing when I get home,” Bryce stated. “I’m sorry, guys. I keep messing it all up.”

Vega sighed and walked up to him. “Ugh… it’s… not your fault. Just blame Lisa.”

Lisa dramatically gasped. “Excuse me?”

“You know what I’m talking about! This chord progression is insane!”

“It’s the chord progression these types of songs follow,” Carina informed, “And since Lisa decided the song’s concept, that’s what we’ve been going for. It’s a bit too late to back down now, isn’t it?” She giggled, “Oh no, what if the whole school knows it was Vega who ruined our big debut? What a shame!”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it… Anyway, Kepler, what do you think?”

Kepler laid his head down on the table. “I already told you what I think. It’s fine, to me. You’re just being too nit-picky.”

“Aren’t leaders supposed to be nit-picky?”

“Not all the time. And you’re not the leader, so pipe it down a bit.”

“...Fine.” Vega took a seat across from Kepler.

“Oh, by the way,” Carina exclaimed, walking up to Lisa, “I love your voice! Like, a whole lot!”

“Thanks,” Lisa chuckled, “But… you keep saying that everyday. How come?”

“Well, I just wish I had your voice! It’s super pretty, and it’s at the right pitch. Mine is super monotone and, like, serious, and everyone takes what I’m saying way too seriously. It’s kinda annoying.”

“I’m jealous. People actually take you seriously…”

“Huh? No, no, you shouldn’t be jealous of that…”

“Uh, I mean, a few people take me seriously, but not too many. Especially after what happened at the you-know-what, nobody’s gonna believe their eyes once they see me in this band.”

“I bet they’re gonna be amazed!”

“I sure hope so! Then, all the boys will come flooding into the auditorium just to see me—I mean, us perform, and they’ll shower us in praise! ...All the boys except for Reese.”

“Why not Reese? Isn’t he one of the most popular and hot ones out there?”

“It’s a long story… But I can’t wait for tomorrow! It’s gonna be awesome!”

“Yeah, totally! Hey, Kepler, let’s celebrate our success and eat some cake or something!”

Kepler only gave her a smug look. “I think you might wanna propose to Lisa first. Then I could get y’all some wedding cake.”

“K-Kepler...!”

Lisa tilted her head in confusion. “Huh? What did he say?”

Carina stammered out, “N-Nothing! Nothing important!”

“Oh, okay!”

“She’s totally clueless,” Bryce mumbled to himself. “And, uh, Kepler… during the audience interaction thingie, I don’t have to say my name, right?”

Kepler nodded his head. “Don’t worry, you don’t have to. Just worry about your performance.”

_ Huh?  _ Lisa thought,  _ What’s that all about? And Bryce has been acting super suspicious these past few weeks… is there something I’m missing? ...No, I can’t focus on that. I gotta worry about perfecting the song with everyone. _

After a few seconds of whispering to Vega, Kepler announced, “Alright y’all, take a seat.”

Carina, Lisa and Bryce followed suit, Carina sitting right next to Lisa, and Bryce sitting far away from everyone else.

“So,” Kepler continued, “I just wanna go over a few other things for tomorrow before we relax. Vega reminded me about this. We need to make sure  _ nobody  _ promotes our performance around the school.”

Lisa raised her eyebrow. “Wait, how come? Wouldn’t that be the natural thing to do? We want an audience, after all!”

“This is an event similar to the talent show. Other bands and groups are gonna be performing, and our band name was registered a long time ago, so it’ll definitely appear on the setlist people will be getting. It’s on some sort of booklet the staff will be handing out.”

“But why can’t we promote ourselves even more? Besides, we’re already gonna show up in the booklet.”

“The booklet is all we need... Can you explain, Vega?”

“Sure.” She elucidated, “This school has a history of the students screwing up other people’s performances on stage, and it’s always the performers who promote themselves the most beforehand. If we wanna be careful, we can’t tell anyone that we’re performing, so that way, nobody can come up with a plan to ruin our performance. Since the booklets are handed out when the competition starts, nobody will know we’re performing until then, and they won’t have enough time to plot anything against us.”

“Ohhh, that makes sense.” Lisa piped, “But people will still root for us, right?”

“It’s our debut, so I doubt too many people will, but I’m sure your friends will. Just don’t be a huge blabbermouth.”

“Don’t worry, I got this in the bag!”

“Yeah, I hope so. And you better not slack off.”

“Geez, why are you being so hard on me?”

“You only joined a month ago. Don’t expect yourself to know everything or do everything perfectly. That’s just being reckless. We can’t have reckless people in our band.”

“Okay, okay…”

Kepler grumbled, “I told you to lay off a little, Vega. Let the girl celebrate for at least a minute.”

Vega sighed, averting her eyes away from Lisa.

“...Y’know…” Carina gave off a rare smile. “I’m glad that we’re all able to be ourselves again. I mean, we’re acting just like how we were as little kids… we’re becoming even greater friends… and here we are, performing in a band with someone new together! I want things to stay like this forever!”

“Same here,” said Kepler. “I never thought this would happen, actually. I figured that we’d eventually give up before even debuting. But the day is already almost here. All we can do now is keep our chins up and believe that we’ll win.”

Lisa frowned and solemnly looked downwards. “I, uh… I’m sorry if I end up ruining your chances. Feel free to blame me if there’s stuff being thrown at us when we’re up there. But…” Lisa’s frown grew into a smile as her eyes sparkled, lifting up her face. “I wanna make sure that I can perform better than last time. I’ve always wanted to show everyone who I really am, and how awesome I am, and now I feel like I can do that with all of you guys. And I think you guys are awesome, too! And that means our debut is gonna be, like, so awesome, everyone’s socks are gonna be blown off!”

“That sounds amazing!” Carina dramatized, “And it would be awesome if everyone’s socks flew off, like,  _ boom!  _ Then we’d know what they think of us! Wouldn’t that be cool, Bryce?”

“Huh?” Bryce snapped out of his daydreaming and blinked owlishly. “Oh, uh, yeah, totally. I can’t wait for tomorrow. Yeah…”

Vega inquired, “Bryce, is there something you’re not telling us?”

“N-No. I just, uh… I gotta take a piss.”

“Ugh, you just went to the bathroom ten minutes ago. You better not be like this tomorrow.”

“I won’t, I won’t.” Bryce left his seat and exited the clubroom, shutting the door behind him.

Lisa appeared to be quite confused, and Kepler felt the urge to explain. “Er… that’s just a thing he does. I don’t think he’s actually going to the bathroom, but everyone has their secrets. Anyway, Lisa…” He gave off a confident grin. “I don’t think you’ll ruin our chances. The kids in this school are stupid. They’ll blindly make fun of people or downplay them before acknowledging their true potential. Their opinions change in weird ways, too, so I don’t think everyone will be against you. But even if they still ridicule you, and are really as stubborn as they seem, all that matters is that you show ‘em the best performance ever. That’s your goal, isn’t it?”

“It always had been.” Lisa added, “Well, not always… There are other things that I’ve wanted to accomplish for ages, but I feel like this is the first step I gotta take. I’m glad that I’m getting another chance!”

“That’s good. We can bask in all the glory when we’re done tomorrow. That should be enough.”

“Yeah… it’s perfect... It’s perfect! Yeah! We’re all gonna play our instruments and impress the entire audience! We’re gonna show ‘em who’s boss!”

“Yeah!” Carina gasped, “Oh my god, and before the show, we should totally do our motto!”

Kepler shrugged. “That’d be great and all, but we don’t even have a motto. Where’d you get that from?”

“Oh, uh, I just assumed we already had some sorta motto or something.”

Vega mentally facepalmed. “It’d be pointless to come up with one now. Those kinds of things take time and consideration to be perfected.”

“Chill, it’s just a motto.” Kepler turned to Carina. “Can you come up with one? I’m brain dead right now.”

“Uhhh…” Carina stroked her chin. “‘We’re super cool! We love space! We’re Supernova!’ How’s that?”

“Sounds too plain and cheesy.”

“Uh, then how about this? ‘Even the stars hate how, uh, glowy we are! And we’re Supernova!’”

“Terrible.”

“I’m out of ideas, dude!”

“We need to come up with something sophisticated…” Vega began, “Something that reflects our image and gives us a feeling of pride. And that would be—“

Lisa blurted out, “Conquering the road of life with stellar grace! Supernova!”

“That one is far too complicated.”

“Oh come on, you’re only saying that because it’s coming from me!”

“ _ You’re  _ complicated.”

“Is that an insult?!”

Kepler mumbled, “...One band, one sound.”

Carina stated, “That’s way too simplistic, dude.”

“Think about it for a second. When we first decided to form our band, we all wanted to make music that distinguished us from others. In other words, a unique sound. Wouldn’t that slogan or motto fit us perfectly?”

“Oh my god, you’re right! That’s perfect!”

“It sounds good.” Vega nodded her head.

“It’s nice and catchy…” Lisa grinned. “I like it!”

“Also,” Vega corrected, “I’m sure it’s called a motto.”

“No, it’s a slogan,” Kepler rebuked.

“It’s a motto.”

“It’s a slogan.”

“It’s a mo—“

“C’mon y’all, that’s not the most important thing here!” Carina hugged Vega tightly. “It’s not something worth fighting about, y’know!”

“Please let go.” 

“Nah!”

“Ugh…”

“Ahh, I’m so excited!” Lisa excitedly beamed, “We have our own slogan, our song is super awesome, and our debut’s gonna be tomorrow! I’m gonna practice extra hard when I get home so everything can be perfect!”

“Sounds good to me!” Carina let go of Vega and embraced Lisa in a hug. “And… thank you! You’re always being positive, and you’ve been encouraging us a bunch! Maybe that’s why I feel happier when I’m playing the drums…!”

“Really?” Lisa bore a smile of satisfaction. “I’m glad I’ve been able to help you guys, then. And I promise, things are gonna be perfect, and we’re all gonna feel super happy when we’re playing!”

“I think so too!” 

Kepler smiled at the sight and relaxed in his chair as the three girls continued to converse. “Yeah… I can’t wait. We’ve already gotten this far. We’re gonna win for sure.”

*****

As soon as Lisa arrived at home, she went straight to her room and began pressing the keys on her keyboard with grace, singing the lyrics to the song she and Supernova had composed together. She eventually learned to tune out the hollers of her little brother and the sounds coming from the kitchen, fully absorbed in the rhythm. After playing the song a couple of times, she considered playing the song she had performed at the talent show.

As she pressed the keys, she could definitely acknowledge the improvement. She had a better posture, and the way the song flowed was much more elegant, and conveyed the feel she wanted to get across to the audience. Her singing had also improved, for it increased in its power, despite its slight shakiness at times. She was determined that she’d be able to perform the way she had always wanted to ever since she was little. 

Taking a short break, she decided to call Nagisa and talk to them about her progress. Waiting for Nagisa to pick up the phone, she laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling.

“Hello,” Nagisa suddenly greeted, their voice speaking through the phone.

“Oh, hey!” Lisa questioned, “So, how’s your day going?”

It was an unexpected question coming from Lisa of all people, but Nagisa was more than happy to receive it. “It’s good. What about you?”

“It’s going great! I’ve been practicing for the super big event tomorrow, and I think I’ve got it down!”

“That’s good. You seem happy.”

“You bet I am!” Lisa added, “Also, uh… how’s the club doing?”

“Great. We’re doing lots of fun and weird stuff. We miss you.”

“Wait, for real?”

“Yeah. It feels weird without you there everyday. But we’re glad you’re happy. I can’t wait to see your show.”

“Aww, thank you! And believe me, it’s gonna be so awesome, the whole school is gonna shake!”

“Sounds nice. I’ll shake, too.”

“Yup!”

“...You used to say ‘awesome’ a lot. You’re doing it again.”

“Wait, really? I didn’t notice that.”

“It’s true. You’re saying ‘awesome’ more. Your dream really is coming true.”

“Yeah! But…” Lisa reassured with a grin, “There’s still a whole lot more I wanna do that’s ‘awesome.’ We were gonna go do Tokyo together, weren’t we? It was our biggest, most ‘awesome’ dream, and before that, I wanna do even more ‘awesome’ things, so it’ll definitely come true! So, I promise, it’s gonna happen someday!”

“...Awesome. I’m glad. I can’t wait.”

“Me neither! And maybe we can bring everyone else with us, too!”

“...Huh? I thought it was only our dream.”

“Well, I gave it some thought, and… it  _ is  _ our dream, but ‘our’ also includes the Anime Club. We’ve all been through so much together, and… I dunno, it kinda feels like we’re family. We’ve all been sticking together no matter what, and I want things to stay that way. So... ‘we’ can all visit the same place!”

“...You’re right. That sounds awesome. I hope it’s soon.”

“Me too! Oh, also, do you think you could help me a bit? I’m playing my keyboard right now, and for tomorrow, I wanna spice up a few bits and make it sound better.”

“Sure. I’ll help.”

“Yay, thank you!” Lisa got up and placed her hands on the keys. “So, basically, what I have here is this melody, and…”

For the remainder of the evening, Nagisa spent their time happily assisting Lisa. For the first time in years, they felt so happy and relaxed together. There was no tension, and no feelings being casted away. It made not only Nagisa’s day, but Lisa’s, as well. And someday, they’d surely accomplish their biggest dream and share it with the people they hold dear, and they were confident in that.

*****

The next day had finally arrived, and Lisa bursted into the Music Club’s clubroom, hollering, “It’s Valentine’s Day!”

“You bet it is!” Carina ran up to her with a wide grin. “Ahh, I’m so glad everyone’s here, now! I’m so excited!”

“Me too, me too! I was gonna celebrate with my friend Miette, but I can’t find her anywhere… That’s okay, though! Let’s practice all we can this morning!”

“Yeah!”

“Our big day is finally here.” Kepler put on his bass. “It feels like a dream, kind of.”

“Let’s make sure we sound good. We need to perfect this.” Vega plugged in the amp. “We have at least an hour before the event starts, and we’re the second to perform. Let’s give it all we got.”

Everyone took their positions, but Carina spotted out, “Wait a minute, where’s Bryce?”

The room stayed silent, Kepler facepalming, and Vega’s patience being tested. 

Lisa wondered, “Yeah, where is he? Geez, he better come today!”

“Oh my god, what if he never shows up?” Carina blurted, “What would we do without a lead guitarist?! Our song would sound weird! Would we have to cancel our performance?”

“No, don’t say that! That’d be terrible!”

“I can’t believe him,” Kepler muttered under his breath. “At the times we need him the most, he…”

“Uh, hi, I’m here.” Bryce entered the clubroom and hurriedly grabbed his guitar from its case. He then stood in his usual position and looked back to his fellow bandmates. “Sorry I’m late. I had to do… uh… stuff.”

“Quit scaring us like that,” Vega scolded. “Think about what we’d have to do without the lead guitarist.”

Kepler bore a sincere expression. “You’ve been awful busy the past month. Care to explain?”

“Despite you guys, I actually have important stuff to do other than play the stupid guitar, so consider that for once,” Bryce spat. “Let’s just… get started. We gotta head over to the auditorium soon.”

“Mhm, yeah…”

They began to practice and continued playing their instruments and perfecting certain elements of the song for around an hour, and once they were finally called to the auditorium, they, alongside multiple other students and performers, made their way there.

At that moment, Lisa got a strong sense of deja vu. It was almost just like her experience at the talent show, but the audience seemed to be larger. Despite this, she didn’t feel intimidated in the slightest. She knew she was prepared, and that her friends would cheer for her. She knew that she would do her very best and give everyone the best performance they’ve ever seen.

Carina scanned the area and gasped in awe. “Woah, there’s so many people…”

Kepler nodded in agreement. “You’re right, but we can’t let that bring us down. Let’s head to the back of the stage, now. That’s where all the other performers are waiting.”

Vega added, “The event is starting in a few minutes, and we’re the second to perform, so we should have some extra time to talk to each other and discuss our plan.” 

Meanwhile, Bryce’s eyes were darting across the auditorium, almost as if he was checking to see if anyone was looking at him or even recognized him.

Lisa noticed this and assumed he was anxious. She could see a bit of Alicia in him. “Hey, uh…” She tapped his shoulder, earning a confused expression from him. “You don’t have to be so nervous, y’know. We’re about to perform, and it’s gonna be awesome. Don’t you wanna kick the school’s ass?”

He muttered, “...Do I?”

“Listen… I— _ We  _ all practiced super hard to get here, didn’t we? Do you want all that work to go to waste?”

“...No.”

“Then you better play that guitar and go crazy! ‘Cuz if you don’t, things won’t be awesome like we want them to be!”

“Uh… I’ll do my best, I guess.”

“Awesome! Let’s show everyone who’s boss!” 

“...Why’re you helping me so much? Why’re you helping all of us so much?”

“Because back then, all I could do was help myself.”

“Hurry up, y’all!” Carina grabbed Lisa and Bryce’s hands and ran behind Kepler and Vega, catching up to them as they walked to the back of the stage.

Once they had all arrived backstage, they sat down and listened to the sound of the audience, and the announcer finally starting off the event.

“So, the time’s almost here…” Kepler looked up at the ceiling. “Now I know exactly how it feels to almost stand on the stage you’ve been wanting to perform on. It’s amazing. People better not think I’m lazy after this.”

“You’ve been working very hard,” Vega praised. “You deserve to feel like this. In fact, we all do. This was something I never thought we could accomplish, especially with you guys…”

Carina groaned, “Dude, are you insulting us?”

“...But, I guess it can’t be anyone but us. We’re the only people who can make up Supernova… and I guess you too, Lisa. It’s thanks to everyone’s hard work that we’ve been able to make it this far. Good job, everyone.”

“I never realized that this meant so much to you guys…” Lisa lightly chuckled, “Y’know, at first, I thought I was just getting mixed in with a bunch of weirdos. It didn’t really matter to me, since it still meant that I might’ve been able to make one of my dreams come true, but you’re all really interesting, and it’s fun, practicing after school everyday. And I thought that after the talent show, my life was ruined, and that there’d be no hope for me… especially with how I acted.”

“You’re still a bit of a stuck-up princess, but I bet you were even more annoying back then.”

“Yeah yeah, that’s actually the truth. But… I think we all need to be selfish a little, so we can keep working hard and reach our goal. That’s basically what one of my best friends told me. So that’s why I wanted to work extra hard with you guys, and make sure everything was perfect! And I don’t even care that I’m single on Valentine’s Day! As long as I’m in a band and making songs, I already have everything I need!”

“I feel the exact same way,” Kepler reciprocated, “And I know everyone else does, too. Supernova’s really important to us. It’s what brought us back together after years of separation. I’m glad we’ll finally be able to stand on stage. Aren’t you too, Bryce?”

“Uh, well…” he mumbled, “...Yeah. You took the words right outta my mouth.”

“Well, it’s good that you actually care about the band!” Carina joshed, “‘Cuz I started to think that you were cheating on us with another band instead!”

“No, that’d never happen. And, uh… interesting choice of words.”

“Heh, the fact you pointed it out must mean it was pretty funny, huh?”

“No, not really.”

“Aww man.”

As the first group performed, Supernova listened closely and carefully, observing their technique.

“...They sound amazing.” Vega began to sweat. “It’s nerve-wracking. We’ll have to put on a performance that outshines theirs by a landslide. Are all of you up for that?”

“We’ve  _ been _ up for it!” Carina gave off a toothy grin. “I’m psyched! This makes me wanna bang my drums as loud as possible, so everyone in the entire school can hear my drum-playing!”

“Hah,” Vega scoffed, “Then that means I’ll have to outshine you with my guitar-playing. Have fun proving that you’re taking this seriously.”

“Oh, you’re on!”

“I won’t lose, either,” Kepler chimed in. “Just so you know, I’m not kidding when I say that I’m a master at the bass. You guys are going down.”

Bryce nervously chuckled, “Have fun with that, y’all… I’ll just play the guitar… normally.”

Lisa hopped off her seat. “I’m gonna beat all of you and everyone participating with my awesome singing! And when I play the keyboard, I’m gonna do better than all those other professionals, just you wait and see!”

“Great, more challengers…”

The first group had finished their performance, and Supernova stood up with confidence.

“...It’s time.” Kepler’s eyebrows furrowed, as he led his fellow members of Supernova up towards the stage. 

They all took their positions, appearing before the audience, their gazes piercing through them. Taking hold of their instruments, they all looked at each other and smiled, finally prepared for their debut. 

Lisa overcame the wave of anxiousness that fell upon her and let out a sigh of relief. Confident in her abilities, she gazed upon the audience with a smile, despite the negative thoughts they bore surrounding her, and the obvious confusion of even seeing her on stage with a band. Near the edge, she could spot the Anime Club, as they clapped for her and the rest of the band. She felt like crying at that time, but she wiped her tears and firmly nodded, looking towards Carina.

Carina took this as a signal to begin the countdown, and she exclaimed, clapping her drumsticks together, “One, two, three, four…!”

At that moment, Supernova performed the song they had composed together with passion and grace:  _ Love’s Final Phase.  _ They were all shining on stage, illuminating the auditorium with their power and emotion. Lisa put all of her feelings into her singing, her mind overflowing with emotions.

_ I’ve finally made it… No, we’ve finally made it. I never imagined this outcome serving as my happy ending… but honestly, I don’t think I’ve found my happy ending yet. Yeah… I can find my happy ending in the future of Supernova and the Anime Club. That’s probably gonna happen a long time from now, but I’m okay with that. I shouldn’t be so impatient with these sorta things. Hah, I can’t expect myself to already get a perfect boyfriend in middle school… And, even without one, I feel like there are at least a few people who love me. I don’t need Reese… and I don’t need the entire school… but someday, the whole school is gonna love me. I don’t even care if it’s not today. Today, I’m performing with Supernova and making my dream of becoming an idol come true.  _

_ Yeah… and to keep making all my dreams come true, I’m gonna play the piano forever and ever, until all my feelings can reach everyone. I’m gonna make everyone smile, and eventually, the whole world, too! That’s something I wanted to do with Nagisa from the start by dreaming of going to Tokyo, and now, I can do that with everyone else! I’ve finally found my own ‘awesomeness…’ my own sound… I love music! I love the piano! I love Supernova! I love the Anime Club! I love everyone! I love my school! Accomplishing all of these things and reaching for the impossible… that’s what being ‘awesome’ is! That’s what true ‘awesomeness’ is! And that’s what Lisa Nakahara was made for! _

_ I… I love Lisa Nakahara! _

*****

Miette and Serena stood in a dimly lit clubroom, Serena shutting the door behind them and making sure nobody else was there.

“...So,” Serena began, “Have you gathered up enough dirt on the students?”

Miette bore an ominous grin. “Plenty. It wasn’t too hard for Nagisa or Kieron. But on the other hand, it was a bit difficult for the others.”

“Thank you for the help, Miette. I should be thanking Summer, too.”

“You’re welcome. I’m happy to help. But… I’m a bit sad that I didn’t get to see Lisa’s performance with her new band. I heard they got third place, too.”

“She won’t be with that band any longer, anyway. Once Bryce’s secrets are spilled, there’s no way she would want to return. They’d have to be forced to disband, anyway. Supernova isn’t complete without the lead guitarist. It’ll be even more devastating to them once they find out he’s been expelled.”

“You’re right. I don’t think the Anime Club would want to continue without Lisa or Nagisa, either.”

“...It’s a different case for Nagisa. It’s not like they do much, anyway. All they’ve been doing is inconveniencing Rudy. That’s the number one thing that can’t happen.”

“Oh, that’s right, you’re doing this for Rudy. Well, I’m sure he’ll be happy. It’s not like Lisa could make him happy, even if they share the same interests. She’ll be too caught up in the situation with the band. Feel free to say whatever you need to say to Rudy, too! I’ll be cheering you on!”

“Thank you, I really appreciate it.”

“...Y’know… You might want some extra help. It’ll be even more convincing to the principal if someone from the Anime Club rebels against Nagisa and Lisa.”

“That makes sense.”

“So, who do you think the best pick would be?”

“Well, at first, I was gonna say Min, but he’s been getting closer to the club members every day. And on top of that, he’s very close to Kieron, and is even Hyun-a’s cousin, so that probably won’t do.”

“Anyone besides him?”

“Other than him… I know exactly who. She hasn’t contributed much, and she barely knows either Lisa or Nagisa.”

“Great! So, you’ll invite her here, right?”

“Of course. It’ll be a full-on club meeting.” Serena smiled. “What we’ve waited for is finally coming into play. How do you feel about it?”

“Exhausted.” Miette briefly sighed. “It took ages to convince Summer, y’know.” Her face lit up, “But this way, the school will be back to the way it was, years go. That’s quite the accomplishment, isn’t it? I admire you for being the club’s leader for this long!”

“Ah, really?” Serena felt her chest tighten and her stomach flip. “I didn’t expect someone like you to admire me.”

“Of course I do! You’re really easy to talk to, and I never thought I’d meet someone who’s just like me.”

“Thanks…?” said Serena, feigning confusion to cover up her anguish. “You should save the compliments for later. Specifically for Ali and Nita. They’ve done a good job lately, haven’t they?”

“You’re right! But I can’t wait for the day Nagisa finds out about what they’ve done. My heart’s pumping already, just by thinking about it!”


	40. Heart-Rending Alteration (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Debate Club moves forward with their plans and invite Alicia to the clubroom. More history about the school is revealed.

The Debate Club’s members—Serena, Ray, Ali, and Nita—gathered at their clubroom and sat by the table, Ray hosting a club meeting.

He declared, “Alright, it’s the beginning of March, and I think you guys know what that means. We’re gonna go through with our plan.”

“Finally,” Nita huffed. “Why did we have to wait so long to get this thing going, huh?”

Ali facepalmed and groaned. “I’ve explained this to you a million times… we needed to find enough dirt on our targets for our plan to work. We wanted to get things going near the end of the school year, but based on how well we’ve been doing, it’s better to do it now.”

“Ohh. But we could’ve just taken care of Kieron first, y’know.”

Serena’s eyes widened out of horror. “No. He’s last. We need to take care of the others first.”

“Speaking of that,” Ray wondered, “I thought Miette and Summer were going to be helping us. Are they coming soon?”

“Yes, in a few minutes. Miette’s going to invite someone from the Anime Club over here.”

Nita whined, “Ugh, is it Nagisa again?”

“Of course not.” Ray crossed his arms. “That wouldn’t make sense ‘till later.”

“It’s…” Serena announced, “Alicia will be coming over. She’s the blue-haired girl. I figured she’d be the best person to bring here, since she’s the most recent person to join their club.”

“You’re smart as always, sis.”

“I know. And, where’s Reese, exactly?”

“I thought you hated him, so I figured you wouldn’t care. But I have no idea where he is.”

“I should’ve expected that… Why didn’t I see this coming? That unreliable...”

Ali frowned, guilt taking her down and consuming her. “...Yeah, good thing he’s not here. He would’ve messed up our plan.”

Serena let out a sigh. “That’s correct. At least we have Miette and Summer.”

“Don’t we have Hyun-a, Derick and Leonida, too?” asked Nita.

Serena firmly nodded. “...Yes, we do. I’m glad they’ve been able to cooperate with us all this time. They deserve all of my thanks.”

*****

“Hey, Aqua!” Ruby called out to Alicia, walking towards her desk.

“Oh, hi, Ruby!” Alicia waved at her and smiled. “How’re you doing?”

“Pretty good. Class just ended for me. I wanted to introduce you to someone, actually! I’ve been waiting the whole day!”

“Really? Who do you want me to meet? Is it… a mean person…?”

“No way! She’s super nice, and we’ve been besties for a long time, y’know. Her name’s Miette, and she really wants to meet you! She saw you at the Christmas party, and she was a bit upset that you guys didn’t get to talk.”

“Oh…”

“Miette said that she wants to chat with you upstairs. I think she’s by a random clubroom close to ours. Are you okay with that?”

“Why can’t you come?”

“She said that it was a secret or something. It’s a bit… weird, but I’m just gonna respect that. Do you wanna meet up with her?”

“...Well, she seems like a nice person, and you and Lisa have been friends with her for a long time, and Summer has, too, so… sure!”

“Great! If you wanna chill with me, I’ll be outside. I have a soccer game today, and I’m gonna give it my all!”

“Good luck! I’ll be there soon.” 

Ruby and Alicia both left the classroom, walking their separate paths. Alicia began to get anxious due to the number of people in the hallway, but managed to overcome it and arrived at her locker. She placed her items inside, and continued to make her way upstairs. 

_ I wonder why Miette wanted it to be just the two of us. I’ve heard a lot about her, and based on what I know, she’d probably wanna talk to a larger number of people other than just one. And why me? _

She arrived upstairs and suddenly spotted Miette, standing by the water fountain.

_ Oh, she isn’t standing by a door or anything, like Ruby said she’d be. Hm… Yeah, this can’t be so bad. She seems really nice… Alright, I’m ready. I’m gonna go talk to her. _

“Umm… excuse me? You’re Miette, right?”

Miette turned around to face Alicia and beamed. “Yup, that’s me! Hello, Alicia!”

“Hey. How are you doing?”

“I’m doing great, thanks for asking! I was just thinking about some super neat ways to make more money. Wanna hear?”

“Uh…”

_ I know this is my chance to get to know her, but… I don’t really wanna talk about money. Maybe I can ask her some other things. _

“...So, Miette, what are your favorite things to do?”

“Ooh, good question!” Miette bore her signature grin. “Hmm, let’s see… almost everything, honestly! I’m always trying out new things, because the more I discover, and the more money I make, the better! Although, nothing’s even that hard, really. Either my parents just do everything for me, or I can sit back and relax and do things easily. Isn’t my life neat?”

“Yeah…”

_ Why does she keep mentioning money? _

“Uh, Miette, why do you love money so much? Sorry if I’m asking too many questions.”

“It’s fine, I can explain! So, money is something super precious to tons of people, right? There’s a fine line between deserving and undeserving people who want money. I like to think of myself as in the inbetween, but I don’t really know.”

“What makes people deserving of money, to you?”

“They basically just gotta keep working hard at whatever they’re doing, until they finally get their rewards. I really like people like that. They motivate me a whole lot, too! But the people who don’t deserve it… well… for example, the bad kids in this school.”

“The bad kids…?”

“Haven’t you heard the rumors on those kids? They’re terrible. Who would ever want to hang around people like them? I say they don’t deserve any money at all.”

“Well… I know some people who have rumors about them, but they’re not that bad…”

Suddenly, Miette’s usually cheerful tone had dropped, and the atmosphere darkened. “Oh, really? Well, what about the other bad ones? What would you do to keep them from hurting other people?”

“...What?”

Miette took a step closer to Alicia. “You’d wanna get rid of them, wouldn’t you?”

Alicia began to tremble in fear, breaking out in a cold sweat. “Uh… you’re kind of scaring me…”

Miette stepped even closer. “Some people deserve things, while others don’t. Isn’t it a fair way of determining whether they even deserve to live or not? Have you ever thought about that?”

“S-Stop…!” Alicia took a few steps back, her eyes darting around the hallway. “What are you saying…?”

“I’m saying…” Miette firmed up her index and middle fingers and aimed at Alicia’s throat. “You might wanna reconsider things.”

“Wha…?”

Miette jabbed her fingers into Alicia’s throat, disabling Alicia’s ability to breathe and impacting her pharynx. Alicia fell to the floor with a  _ thud,  _ Miette then grasping her throat until she passed out.

*****

Lying down on the floor, seemingly in a new environment, Alicia slowly opened her eyes, still dizzy from the injury and loss of breath.

_ What… what’s going on? What happened? Where am I…? Is this a… clubroom…? _

Regaining her composure, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her eyes then landed on Miette. “...Huh? What did you… do…?”

“Hello!” Miette greeted, waving her hands. “Don’t worry, you’re fine now. All I had to do was drag you in here. You’re actually a lot heavier than I thought you were.”

“...Huh…?”

“That was quicker than I thought it’d be.” Summer walked up to Miette and patted her back. “I didn’t think you were that strong, Mimi.”

Miette giggled, “I’ve been practicing!”

“Hello,” said Serena, sitting beside her brother and the remainder of the Debate Club’s members (excluding Reese). “Sorry for not telling you about this sooner, Alicia.”

“What’s going on…?!” Alicia jumped out of her seat and held a stance. “What did you guys do to me?! What’s your deal?! I’m super strong too, y’know! I, uh… I can bust your brains out in ten seconds flat!”

“She’s feisty,” Ray mumbled to himself. “Calm down, will you?”

“We mean no harm, I promise,” Serena assured. “Miette just has a… unique way of doing things. We need to talk about something important with you.”

“Something… important?” Coming to a realization, Alicia shook her head and growled. “Wait, no! No way! I’m not falling for that! I’m not scared of any of you, and I’m not gonna listen to anything you say! Y-You, uh… animals! Beasts! U-Uh…”

“Your insults are absolutely terrible,” Nita sneered. “At least come up with something a bit more creative, dude.”

“U-Umm…” 

_ Why is this happening? Did Miette really trick me? No, wait… did Ruby trick me, too? ...No, Ruby isn’t like that. This is weird… Maybe I should listen to what they have to say, or else they’ll hurt me. _

“...What did you want to tell me?”

“Well,” Serena replied, folding her hands on the table, “It’s something we’ve been planning for a long time. It has to do with this school, and this school only. Have you noticed the decrease in proper discipline, lately?”

“A little…”

“It’s been like this for years. When I first enrolled here in Elementary, this school used to be strict and proper. Now, there are students constantly breaking the rules and doing whatever they want with little to no supervision, and it’s only gotten worse. Do you want a neat and proper school?”

“...Yeah, I kinda do. Being with all of those loud kids makes me really nervous sometimes…”

“I’m glad you agree. I love this school more than anything, and I’ve met so many amazing people here. That’s why I want to turn this school back to the way it was and restore its history before it goes down.”

“How are you gonna do it…?”

Serena glanced at Ray, and he nodded, adding, “There’s a wide variety of students wrecking the school property overnight, and it takes a long while for the staff to fix everything, but instead on focusing on the large things, we first want to focus on the students who have a large amount of rumors surrounding them. Not all of the rumors are true, but that isn’t always the same case for most of the students. Kids like Kieron, Nagisa, Bryce, Inaya, Melanie, and many others have strange behaviors that would be considered against the rules at this school.” 

“W-Wait, what…?” Alicia stammered out, “I-I don’t get it… What if the rumors aren’t true for them, either? There’s no way you can know for sure…!”

“And that’s why we’ve spent all of this time gathering proof on every single one of them. It’s been a long process, but that was expected. After all, we’ve been gathering dirt on almost more than a hundred students.”

“M-More than a hundred?”

“That’s right. Serena?”

Serena continued, “He’s correct. I can even give you a few examples right now. Melanie’s favorite pastime is cyberbullying kids online. Don’t you recognize her name?”

Shock and disbelief crossed Alicia’s face. “N-No… Melanie would never do that…!”

“I have more. Inaya’s family is involved in a wide variety of scandals, and Bryce finds joy in stealing and using counterfeit money.”

“N-No…”

“There are all sorts of other things including drug-selling and gambling, but I won’t touch into those other students now. Our plan is to expel all of these students who have committed illegal behaviors by providing proof to the parents and staff. We’ll also be announcing their secrets to the entire school.”

“That’s not right! What if you’re not right? What if they get expelled for no reason? You’d be ruining their lives…!”

“We’re only making everyone’s lives better. Besides, those students deserve everything that’s coming to them. ...Our first target will be Kieron. He’s murdered a young girl, but the police weren’t able to identify the girl’s killer, but now, with proof, we’ll be able to take him down. It’s the right thing to do. Don’t you think he deserves a proper punishment for killing a young child?”

“I-I… I don’t believe you! I don’t believe anything you’re saying…!”

“Quit being so stubborn,” Ray scolded, “You’re only making things even more difficult than—“

“Calm down,” Serena warned. “She won’t agree with us if you provoke her with hostility.”

“Serena’s right.” Ali crossed her arms. “Give Alicia some time to think things over. She must be overwhelmed.”

Alicia was more than just conflicted. She didn’t know if she should trust these people or not. The fact they supposedly spent ages planning everything and gathering the proof they needed was convincing, but at the same time, the proof still could’ve been false. Alicia couldn’t help but wonder why she was dragged into this, and why they decided to invite someone from her own club, anyway. Surely she could just tell everyone and the problem would be resolved. But maybe they had other things in mind.

Serena ran her hand through her hair. “...Maybe this will convince you… Hyun-a’s in on this, too.”

“...Huh?” Alicia’s full attention was drawn to Serena.

“Her friends Derick and Leonida teamed up with us, and eventually her, to take down Kieron. Not everything went as planned, but we still managed to get things done. Colston must be devastated.”

“...What are you talking about? Hyun-a would never agree with you guys! That’s not true…!”

“I’m speaking the truth. She’ll have a field day explaining everything to you. Even if she did tell you everything, it’s not like you can stop us. Everything has been set in stone, and our plan will succeed, whether you like it or not. We just need you on board with us, so we can receive extra support, and complete our goal even quicker.”

“I… I would never agree with you on something like this…! You’re messed up! I don’t wanna be here! Let me go!” Alicia left her seat and pushed the chair to the ground, elbowing Serena in the face and sprinting towards the door.

“You’re not going anywhere!” Ray ran after her, and before she could reach the door, he grabbed her arm and turned her around, strongly grasping onto both of her wrists with enough force to pull her back. “Quit trying to act so tough! We know how you really are! We know how everyone in your stupid little club is!”

“L-Let go of me, you don’t--”

And the moment he raised his voice, Alicia’s most distant memories came to mind.

“...Raymond?”

Ray relaxed his hands.

“...You remember?”

Alicia fidgeted with her fingers. “You just… looked so different. Now you’re here, and I…”

Their precious, childhood memories came flooding in.

It wasn’t like they didn’t want to see each other. That wasn’t the case at all. Yet, somehow, Ray had the strong desire to forget. 

He took a deep breath.

He just couldn’t. He never could.

“What’s going on here?” asked Nita, scratching her head, her eyes darting around the room, searching for an answer.

Alicia’s heart was beating out of her chest. Serena took notice of the two’s anxiety and solemnly looked towards Nita. “They have things to take care of. Don’t worry about it.”

“But I don’t know what’s going on--”

“Nita, is their business.” Ali placed her hand on the younger sister’s shoulder in an unexpectedly comforting manner. 

Alicia bit her lip. “...Ray,” she began, “You’re involved in this because of what happened, right? Is it really all my fault?”

“This wasn’t because of you.” The words rolled off Ray’s tongue. It was the truth. “But don’t you remember how badly we were treated? How everyone else was treated? How  _ you  _ were treated? Do you seriously think I could ever let that go?”

“Well… no. But would you really go to these lengths?”

“Alicia, my family was under attack. Everyone was under attack.”

“But that can’t still be the case, right?  _ Right _ ?”

Miette tossed Alicia a piercing glare. “Don’t you want a proper school with hardworking teachers and well-behaved students? Don’t you want to get rid of your anxiety, throw it all away, and finally live a happy and normal life in an amazing school? Isn’t that what you want? Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

“Yes, but--”

“I’m tired of this, okay?!”

Everyone in the room had witnessed Miette’s first out-lash in  _ months.  _ Yet her facial expression remained the same. But it was clear; something wasn’t right.

“We’re all sick and tired of different things, but haven’t you noticed a majority of them are linked to this school? It’s a curse. We’re all drawn here, someway or somehow. One day after the other, the history of this school is being hidden from everyone, but why else would we go to such lengths, just to make sure we don’t cause a huge panic? Not everyone is at fault. Of course they aren’t. But there’s still a large number of students from the previous era of the school who want things to stay this way. That’s why we’re trying to only get rid of  _ them _ . We can’t do it alone. And if we can’t save it now, then… there won’t be any salvation for us.”

Summer was aware of the fact this would most likely be the only moment Miette is this vulnerable. She finally spoke up. “So, if we go through with our plan, everyone will be too focused on the disappearance of the other students who have committed multiple crimes. That way, you’ll attend the kind of school you’ve longed to be in, and everything will be fixed. Isn’t that exactly what you want?”

“...Yes, but… there has to be another way.”

“Alicia, we need your help,” Serena calmly stated. “Leave your club and join ours. Rudy would be more than happy, Alicia. Trust me. I know him more than anyone. This is the number one thing he would love the most. So, are you with us?”

At that moment, Alicia gave her final answer. “...I’m with you. I’ll fight against everyone else. I won’t let any of you down.”

And she meant it.

There wasn’t anything else that could at least change the state of the school. She was perfectly aware of that. Not to mention the people surrounding her had experienced much worse than she had--it’s something she had to consider. And perhaps she lacks the qualities of those among the Debate Club, despite sharing similar goals. 

It was at that moment she realized; all the student she had come across, and maybe even Melanie knew that something was going on. Although there weren’t too many schools within the district, there were better options. 

The families were curious. Despite a few truths being scattered about and hidden from their very eyes, there was a mysterious force pulling them to the school. It gave them the feeling that something miraculous would occur, mainly due to the school’s prosperous history in the past. 

But as it was all about to crumble down, turning to dust, she at least wanted to play a part in reviving what used to be the precious memories of many students. 


	41. Heart-Rending Alteration (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alicia returns to a handful of her fellow clubmates and informs them on what she's experienced. They come up with a plan from there.

More than anything, Alicia felt uneasy. She felt more scared than she ever had been in her entire life, but going to school still felt like a necessity. She wanted to protect her newfound friends no matter what, and the best thing she could do was pretend to follow the Debate Club’s plan and tell the club which she belonged to.  _ Eventually _ , anyway. She had to make sure her timing was right, or else the Debate Club would find out. They  _ did  _ heavily observe other people and multiple clubs, after all. Being cautious would guarantee everyone’s safety. 

_...I was right from the start, in a way. People really are scary and mean. But… not everyone is like that. That’s how Miette and the others are. I’m gonna have to tell Ruby and Lisa, but… I gotta be careful. I’m scared…  _

“Hello? Cyclone?”

“W--!” Alicia jumped from her seat and pushed Dennis away. “W-What…? ...Oh, it’s you! I’m sorry!”

“Ahah, I’m getting used to it.” He stared into her eyes and leaned towards her, invading her personal space. “But… I know that look. You’re, like, super worried about something. What’s bothering you?”

“N-Nothing, don’t worry. I was just spacing out a bit, that’s all…”

“What were you thinking about?”

“...Books.”

“What kinds of books?”

“Books.”

“Books on books?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, Hyun-a! Cyclone’s acting weird again!”

“W-Wait, what?”

Hyun-a walked up to them with a smile. “Yo, did something happen?”

Alicia shook her head out of panic. “N-Nothing! Nothing happened!”

“Are you sure? Looks like you’re lying.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m just a bit tired… Uh… Dennis was just pretending.”

“Oh, okay. Makes sense.”

Dennis frowned and scratched his head. “Man, am I really that untrustworthy? You’re hurting my feelings!”

“I’m joking,” Hyun-a assured. “But, for real, I know that face, Aqua. I’ve known you long enough to know that you’re super worried. Can you tell me what happened?”

“...It’s something weird,” Alicia replied, “And you guys won’t believe me. I promise, it’s not that important, anyway.”

Hyun-a firmly nodded in understanding, “Alrighty, if you say so! Sorry for bothering ya.”

“It’s fine.”

_ I feel terrible… I shouldn’t be lying to them like this. I should’ve expected this… Hyun-a’s easy to pick up on when other people are feeling upset, and so are the others, and for some reason, even Dennis, now. I really should tell them everything, but… Ray didn’t really say that he’d hurt anyone if I told them. They all just claimed that we wouldn’t be able to stop them. Maybe it’d be okay if I could at least tell a few of them… maybe I’ll go with Hyun-a, Alicia and Dennis. Maybe Ruby and Nagisa, too. I’m really close to them, after all. _

“U-Uh, actually--”

“Hey, Aqua!” Ruby entered the clubroom and walked up to Alicia. “So, how did it go with Mimi yesterday? Did y’all get to become friends?”

“Well… where’s Nagisa?”

“Nagisa?” Dennis snickered, “Y’know, it’s a bit weird for you to bring ‘em up. I thought you were, like, super scared of them or something!”

“Not really…”

“Oh, I know where they are!” Ruby informed, “They’re walking over here right now. They were doing something before I got here. Did you need to tell them something?”

“...I have something to tell all of you, actually.”

“The whole club?”

“No, just you guys. It’s… On second thought, it’s really important. I was lying before. I’m sorry.”

Hyun-a joshed, “Wowie, you must be really bad at lying.”

“She’s been like that ever since I met her!” Dennis laid back in his chair. “She thinks it’s a crime to lie at least once. I guess that’s why I can always trust you, Cyclone! And everyone else can, too!”

Alicia’s frown formed into a smile.”...Thank you.”

_ That’s good to hear… I’m glad I’m not being a burden to anyone. I knew it… they really do like me. Alright… and because of that, I gotta tell them. They’ll believe me. I’m sure they’ll help me, too. _

“Hello.” Nagisa walked inside the clubroom and sat beside Ruby. 

“There you are!” Ruby’s face lit up. “What took you so long, slowpoke?”

“Water. I was thirsty.”

“Water’s neat.” Ruby added, “Oh, anyway, since you’re here, Aqua wanted to tell us all something.”

Alicia nodded. “Yeah… sorry if I’m bothering you, Nagisa.”

“It’s okay.” Nagisa turned to her. “So, what is it?”

“Well…” Alicia took a deep breath to calm her nerves and shut her eyes.

_ You can do this, Alicia. It won’t be bad. If I can get everyone’s help, then the Debate Club’s plan will be ruined, and nobody will get hurt. Yeah… it’ll be okay. _

“...So, Ruby, uh… About Miette… it didn’t go well at all. Did you know that she and Summer are helping out the Debate Club with something?”

Ruby raised her eyebrow. “...Huh? I didn’t know that. Neither of them have said anything about the Debate Club at all.”

“Well… Hyun-a, you’re friends with Derick and Leonida, right?”

Hyun-a appeared to be taken aback by this question, yet hesitantly answered. “Kind of.”

“Can you tell me about your association with the Debate Club?”

The atmosphere dropped, and Hyun-a could’ve sworn she began to sweat. “What are you saying? You’re confusing me.”

“Do you know anyone by the names Serena or Ray? They said that you, Derick, and Leonida helped them out with their plan.”

“...What plan?” Hyun-a’s eyes widened. “I don’t even know what the Debate Club has to do with that, or who they even are, but… there was a bigger plan than what they already…?”

“Hold up,” Dennis hollered, “Are you hiding something from us? What plan? Who’s Derick and Leonida? Tell us!”

“I will, I will, I’m just… worried.” Hyun-a wiped the sweat from her forehead, her heart pounding out of her chest as she was consumed by anxiety. “I… I’ve been trying to hide this for a while, since I figured that Colston would be mad at me…”

“Why would he be mad at you?” asked Ruby. “Aren’t you two really close?”

“Yes, but… remember that situation with Kieron?”

“...Oh, the time he and Colston got hurt?”

“Wait a minute,” Dennis blurted, “It was Derick and Leonida who hurt them! Isn’t that right? What the heck even happened back there?”

Hyun-a shuddered and bore a melancholic expression. “...Around the time I had to leave the Drama Club, I decided that I didn’t need Kaitlyn or anyone else, and that I'd make new friends instead. That’s when I met Derick and Leonida. I had no idea they had a history of doing terrible things in this school, and when people found out I started hanging out with them, that’s when I lost my popularity.”

“Ohh, that makes sense!”

“Rudy told Ruby and I about that,” Nagisa stated. “It was a long time ago.”

Alicia inquired, “What happened after that?”

Hyun-a continued with a stammer, “...F-For some reason, before I met Colston, Derick and Leonida were nowhere to be found. It was really strange. But a few months later, a few days before Colston met Kieron, Derick and Leonida told me about some kind of plan. They said that they were going to ‘find a way to get rid of the bad students’ or something. Of course, I didn’t go along with it, since they said it’d involve fighting people, but they ended up lying to me in the end. ...S-So of course, since they were my ‘friends,’ I decided to go ahead and trust them. They mentioned the name of ‘Kieron,” and I knew him, but I didn’t think that he and Colston would meet up… I never did… And I never thought it’d end up the way it did…”

Dennis felt a strange feeling rising up within him. “Wait, so you knew it would happen?!”

“I didn’t think it’d end up as terrible as it did. I would never let anything bad happen to any of you, I swear. I’d… I’d give up my own life for everyone here. I love you all so much, but… I’ve only made things worse.” Hyun-a bore a determined glare. “...I’m gonna fix this. Alicia, you said that the Debate Club had a plan, and Derick and Leonida were associated with them. What’s their deal?”

“...I know too much.” Alicia elucidated, “But… their motives are very similar to Derick and Leonida’s. They most likely teamed up because of that, and told the Debate Club that you went along with their plan.”

“So, they want to get rid of the ‘bad students?’”

“That’s not the only thing. Not only do they want to expel them, but apparently it also has to do with the history of this school. I don’t understand everything that’s been going on, but it seems really important. They’re also going to expose everyone’s secrets and report the proof they had gathered to the school’s staff. I don’t know how or why, but Miette and Summer are a part of it all, too. Miette knocked me out, and then forced me to stay inside the clubroom with them. Summer just didn’t do anything to stop her, either.”

“...What?” Ruby shook her head in disbelief. “No, Miette and Summer would never follow through with anything like that. That’s crazy. Are you sure…?”

“All Miette wanted was to meet up with me and take me into the clubroom, trying to convince me to go with their plan. That’s all she wanted from me.”

“...I’m so sorry,” Ruby relented, gently holding Alicia’s hands. “I really should’ve been there. That was my fault. I didn’t mean for you to get involved in something like that.”

“It’s not your fault, Ruby. Nobody knew. Not even you. They purposely haven’t told anyone they knew they couldn’t trust for a really long time, apparently. They’ve been working on their plan and gathering the proof they needed for ages, Serena said.”

At that moment, Nagisa’s most unforgettable memories came flooding in.

“...Serena,” They spoke aloud shakily. “I know her. I know the Debate Club. They… They’re trying to get rid of me.”

Dennis gave Nagisa and everyone in the room a look of concern. “Nagisa, what else happened? Did you go there?”

“Serena took me there. I saw everyone except for Miette and Summer.”

Ruby came to a realization. “That must mean that Miette and Summer started helping them out later on, or maybe right after that. And, Nagi…” Ruby wrapped her arm around Nagisa’s shoulder. “Is… Is that what caused you to leave the school for such a long time?”

Nagisa nodded in reply. “Yeah. I still don’t know how I feel about it right now, but… I feel less scared. I have you and the club.”

“I’m glad you’re okay now.” They embraced each other in a hug, Ruby patting Nagisa’s head.

“Thank goodness.” Hyun-a began, “And it’s a good thing we know most of the story, now. Things are starting to make a lot more sense. Nagisa, I take it that Serena asked you to go with their plan, and you disagreed?”

“That’s right.” Nagisa pulled away from the hug. “But… something weird started to happen. After that, when I came back to school, I still didn’t go to the club. When class was over, Serena wanted to meet up with me. Every other day, we would meet up in an old classroom. She would talk about how much she loved Rudy, and how she wanted to ‘fix the school.’ She didn’t say that much about the school, though. I felt like a prisoner.”

“Why didn’t you just leave?”

“She said she wanted someone to talk to. She also said that she actually.... appreciated me, somehow. I felt like I couldn’t go back to the club, because Serena told me I didn’t do anything for you guys, and that was true. If I went back sooner, I would make things worse. But…” Nagisa added with a soft smile, “I got worried about Ruby and everyone else. I remembered that Ruby said she was really sad, and that everyone was worried about me. That’s when I came back. I really wanted to see Ruby and the others again.”

“Nagi…” Ruby smiled back at them. “But why did you keep it all a secret until now?”

“I thought it would be dangerous. Serena was dangerous, and so was the Debate Club.”

“I know exactly how Nagisa felt,” Alicia said. “I was really scared when the Debate Club approached me. But, I needed to say something…”

“Thanks for telling us, Aqua,” Hyun-a soothed. “At least we know the gist of the Debate Club’s plans, now. It’d be far worse if nobody knew.”

“She’s right,” Dennis agreed. “If we didn’t know until they actually went through with the plan, we’d all probably be toast! But, I mean, if we’re not careful, and if we don’t stop them, that’ll probably still happen, and that won’t be good, so… I’m gonna help you guys no matter what! We’re gonna stop those Debate Club losers!”

Alicia’s face lit up. “Yeah… You’re right…!”

“You’ve done a whole lot, Aqua,” Hyun-a praised. “And, Dennis, thanks for being with Alicia all this time. I’m sure she’s really grateful. So, that’s why… I have a plan. Ruby and Nagisa can go talk to Serena, while I’ll confront Ray about Derick and Leonida, and a few other things.”

“Huh?” Dennis questioned, “Wait, what about me and Cyclone?”

“Dennis, can you keep her company? You’re closer to her more than anyone, and she must be terrified. I bet she went through a lot yesterday, based on what she’s told us, and the intensity of the Debate Club.”

“...Alrighty! I can do that! You can count on me!”

“We should tell the others when we’re done talking to the Debate Club,” Ruby suggested. “That way, they won’t panic when we go to talk to the Debate Club now, and once we’ve got more info, we can go to them for help. How does that sound?”

“Perfect,” Hyun-a replied, nodding her head. “So, you’re ready to talk to Serena right now? You too, Nagisa?”

Nagisa and Ruby both nodded in reply.

“Alrighty. I’ll—“

“W-Wait…!” Alicia hollered.

“Huh?” Hyun-a turned to Alicia. “Is something wrong?”

“I… I don’t want you guys to go. They could hurt you really bad, and… I don’t want anyone getting hurt. Not like Mum.”

Hyun-a patted Alicia’s back and comforted her, cupping Alicia’s face with her hands. “Don’t worry. We’re gonna be fine, I promise.”

“...Okay. I’ll stay here with Dennis, then.”

“Alrighty.”

Nagisa brought up, “It’s almost four. Serena will leave the clubroom and go into the hallway. Ruby and I will talk to her when she does that.”

Hyun-a nodded and opened the door. “Sounds good. I’ll go look for Ray. He should be in the Debate Club with everyone else.” 

“Okay.” 

Nagisa walked alongside Ruby, and along with Hyun-a, the three of them left the clubroom, leaving Dennis and Alicia behind.

Noticing Serena already in the hallway, Nagisa whispered, “She’s there.”

“It’d be better if I go into their clubroom without her looking,” Hyun-a insisted. “Good luck, y’all.” She hastily yet quietly ran to the clubroom, shutting the door behind her, and making sure no noise was made. Once she entered the clubroom, she was greeted by the sight of Ali, Nita, and Ray, all sitting at the table, giving each other dirty looks. “...Uh, hello.”

“Huh?” Ray immediately turned around in his seat. “...E-Excuse me? Since when did you get here?”

“A few seconds ago. Looks like you guys are having a staring competition. Is that what you do in a debate?”

“Shut up.” Ray stood up and walked towards Hyun-a. “Why are  _ you _ here, Hyun-a? Did my sister invite you?”

“Oh, so you  _ do  _ know my name.”

“Of course I do. Derick and Leonida talk about you.”

“Thought so…”

“What’s going on here?” Nita groaned, laying her head on the table. “Can people, like, stop coming over here for once? Please?”

“Please calm down, sis,” Ali urged, “She probably just wants to talk to Ray. She’s in that other club, after all. Alicia probably told them about everything we told her. I knew it was a bad plan from the start…”

“It’s not like they can stop us. They’re just a bunch of dummies anyway, so it’s not even a problem.”

“Sure…”

“Ahah…” Hyun-a let out a fake laugh, topping it off with an intimidating grin. “Sorry if I’m troubling you, but can I talk to you for a few minutes, Ray?”

“And why?” Ray crossed his arms. “You wanna fight? Because I’m up for that.”

“Look, I just need to talk. I won’t hurt you, anyway. I’m nice.”

“...I’m guessing you’ve lost the ability to pack a punch. The club is making you soft, isn’t it?”

“Oh, Derick and Leonida told you? I  _ did  _ use to work a bit differently. Or… maybe I’m still the same.”

“Huh? What do you mean? Quit the jokes.”

“What if I’m not joking?”

“Did you seriously just come here to annoy me?”

“I’m better than that. If I do something, there’s an even bigger reason for it. I came here because I wanted you to understand a situation a bit more. I’m a reasonable person.”

“Just go ahead, then.” 

“Thanks for letting me talk.” Hyun-a took a seat, and Ray did the same. “So, I heard that your plan is to expose a bunch of students to the teachers and expel them. Is that right?”

“Yes. Do you have a problem with it?”

“Maybe a little. I’m not here to talk about that, though. I wanted to say that your plan has a small hole in it. I mean, if your proof is false, how can you be so confident that you won’t be punished instead? And if you’re going to send death threats to multiple students, even if they’re anonymous, people will easily figure out who it’s all from, and eventually, your club is gonna be taken down for good.”

“We wanted to remain somewhat anonymous at the start, and more than anything, we wanted to keep everything a secret. But ever since Nagisa declined our offer, Serena knew a few more people she could trust, and therefore asked Miette, Summer, and a few others to help out with our plan. And now, we want to be known as the club who saved the school from its downfall. Wouldn’t that be an amazing achievement? It’s something your media club could never accomplish. We’re already better than you by a landslide.”

“...First of all, that’s not the name of our club. Second of all, is this just all about besting us?”

“That’s a small portion of it.”

“And why would you want to best us?” Hyun-a’s smile suddenly dropped. “We’re just like any other club. We’re all normal people. Rudy started the club to make friends and help other people, and I think that’s something worth working towards. Even my cousin Min-Jun cares about the club more than anything. So, I don’t see why you would want to best our club, best us, or take us down in any way. There’d really be no point to it, y’know. Sure, you’d ruin our lives, but there’s not much you can gain, other than that.”

“Ever since Rudy’s club was made, my sister Serena has had a strong grudge against it and everyone within it. She acknowledges that they’re nice people, and she truly adores them, especially Nagisa, but she only has eyes for Rudy. That’s why she likes to do most of the things she does. But I’m different. None of you are good people in my book. You’re all just blind to reality, and have unrealistic expectations of everything.”

“Isn’t changing this school back to the way it was a bunch of years ago an unrealistic goal? Even if you’ve been working hard on it for ages, your plan isn’t guaranteed to work. Besides, it’s mainly the students who’ve impacted this school, and it’s because of them that our teachers have been giving up. It doesn’t help that we have more than a thousand students either, so I would expect such a large change in the school to occur in more than ten years from now. Isn’t that a more realistic expectation?”

“We only do things if we know they will work, without a doubt. Wasting time on things that won’t benefit you in the end is worthless. That’s what all of us believe in, especially me and my sister.”

“You definitely seem confident in the ‘fact’ that nobody can stop you.”

“Because it  _ is  _ a fact. What’s your point?”

“...I understand you. You’ve been working really hard to keep this plan of yours moving along for your sister, haven’t you?”

“Of course. There’s nothing else I’m made to do.”

“I see… We’re both similar, in a way. Y’know, a lot of stuff has happened in my family. Ever since my aunt disappeared, I felt like I was hardwired to be a good replacement for her so I could make my family happy. I wanted to be just like her; Kind, generous, giving, and selfless. But… when I couldn’t help the people I loved, I felt like I was worthless because I couldn’t fulfill my duty. You feel the same way about helping your sister, don’t you? You share the same dreams with her, and you want them to come true more than anything, and you’re not willing to accept failure.”

“...I have never thought I’m worthless. Not a single time in my entire life. I’m not supposed to fail, and we’re never gonna fail.”

“That’s what I thought, too. But… you don’t really want to threaten all of these people and ruin their lives, do you?”

“What are you talking about? I’m doing what’s necessary.”

“Is that what you really want? C’mon, tell me, let’s have a little moment here. What was your first dream when you were a little kid?”

Ray averted his eyes. “I don’t need to tell you that. I don’t need to tell you anything. Get lost.”

“Okay…” Hyun-a sighed and moved on. “So, I’m gonna pretend that from the start, you wanted to be a fashion designer.”

“Gross. That’s girly stuff.”

“Shut up. Ahem…” Hyun-a cleared her throat, “Anyway, I’ll just imagine that anyway. When you were a little kid, you wanted to be a fashion designer, but things changed when your sister approached you about an idea, which entirely revolved around a kid named… uh…”

“Josh.”

“Yeah, a kid named Josh. Wow, you’re actually more into this than I thought, huh?”

“No, and that’s not how it—“

“Let me finish. ...More than anything, you wanted to assist and comfort your sister, so her dream could come true. Eventually, you gave up on being a fashion designer, and her dream turned into yours. You even began to start acting like her a bit more, and highly looked up to her, working extremely hard every day to not just help her, but eventually to impress her. If that were the case, how would you think she would feel?”

“If that were the case, huh…? Then… she’d be proud of me, without a doubt.”

“If she wasn’t proud of herself in the first place, and asked you for help because she didn’t feel like she could do anything on her own, there wouldn’t be anyone or anything to be proud of, since at that point, you’d be just like her. Now, isn’t that something to think about?”

Ray simply exhaled.

“I can see you’re thinking a lot. I’m spot on, aren’t I?”

“Get out of here.” Ray pointed towards the door.

Hyun-a stood up and waved goodbye. “Alrighty, at least I was able to prove my point.” Her eyebrows furrowed, her voice dropping octaves lower. “And, just so you know, if you ever try to hurt anyone in my club, I’ll taser your ass.”

“Sure, but I’d love to see you try and get physical.”

“Ew, not with you. I’m only physical with my club members. What a way to confess, am I right?”

“Just leave, please."

“Wait, wait… I actually have a question, before I go.” Hyun-a stood by the door and faced Ray. “Back when Derick and Leonida harmed Kieron… they were planning something with your club. What exactly was your plan? All it did was get Derick and Leonida suspended.”

“...Our plan was to catch Kieron in the act of attempting to murder either of them, but with how reckless they were, they decided to go against the original plan, so it didn’t work as expected. But we still have all of the proof we need on Kieron, anyway. At that moment, it would just be an extra, in case if the teachers didn’t believe us.”

“I see… you’re really good at planning things, y’know. You seem very smart.”

“I’ve spent years doing all of my work and studying hard for school. But thanks to its current state, it might as well mean nothing, so I  _ might as well _ make the school a better place again. Now, can you please leave?”

“Yeah, yeah, I will.” Hyun-a creaked the door open. “I hope things go well between you and your sister.” She shut the door behind her, and walked back inside the Anime Club’s clubroom, meeting up with Alicia and Dennis, waiting for Ruby and Nagisa to arrive. 

Meanwhile, around the time Hyun-a began to speak with Kieron, Ruby and Nagisa walked up to Serena.

Ruby could tell that Nagisa was feeling a bit anxious, and she could understand why. Serena was the person who had possibly negatively impacted their life. Ruby held their hand and squeezed it tightly, giving them a reassuring smile. 

“Don’t worry,” she whispered, “I’m right here next to you. Nothing bad is gonna happen. Just imagine that Serena girl with a soccer ball for a face!”

Nagisa lightly chuckled and smiled back. “I’ll do that. Thank you. I feel a bit better now.”

“That’s great. ...Hey, you know, I—“

“Hello,” Serena greeted. She stood before the duo with a deadpan expression. “That was sweet, but I take it that you two wanna talk to me?”

“O-Oh, yeah.” Ruby nodded and bore a sincere expression. “You… You’ve been hurting Nagi a whole lot, and it’s really affecting them. I don’t want you saying mean or hurtful things to them, or anyone else. And threatening people like that, and plotting those terrible things… why? Why would you ever wanna do something like that?”

Serena maintained her usual calm demeanor. “...It’s very simple. I  _ do  _ have other goals in mind, but it all revolves around Rudy’s happiness. You’re his sister, are you not? Wouldn’t you do anything to make him happy?”

“Of course I would.”

“Then we’re the exact same.”

“But your ways of doing it are cruel! I could never stand for it!”

“But Miette and Summer do, don’t they?”

“...Why did they get involved with your plan in the first place?”

“I thought you’d already figure it out by now. Miette can’t trust anyone, so she makes sure to set in stone that she can get whatever she wants from them. She believes that people who don’t do as their told are undeserving of a happy life, for ‘if they’re too selfish to even do anything for someone else, then there’s no point in even doing anything for themselves.’ That’s why she began to grow tired of you and Lisa.”

“She really…?”

“Miette thought that Hope wouldn’t take anything seriously, so she ended up going to Summer about the plan, and forced her to help us. There wasn’t much Summer could do. Miette’s good at being convincing, after all.”

“...They’ve never mentioned anything like this. I thought it was weird that Miette suddenly stopped hanging around us as much as she used to a little while ago, but… I didn’t think she was up to  _ this _ .” Ruby shouted with a quivering voice, “How do you know for for sure if this is what Rudy wants? You haven’t known him your entire life, you barely ever talk to him, and you just watch from a distance! I’m his sister, and I know he’d never want anyone to be hurt! Ever since we were little, he’s always cared about everyone, especially me and Min-Jun… and when I was depressed, he comforted me and gave it his all to help me feel better! He’s helped so many people, yet you decide to ‘make him happy’ by hurting others and destroying their lives? How would that make anyone happy?!”

Nagisa squeezed Ruby’s hand and calmed her down. “Ruby… if you’re mad, think of things that make you happy. We need to be calm and positive.”

“...Yeah, you’re right…”

“...I love all of you,” Serena began. “I’ve always been fascinated with the formation of your club, and how well all of you get along together. It’s amazing, and so are your goals. We all want to make the school a better place, but I just have different ways of doing it. They’re more efficient ways. Friendship and love won’t always succeed, but I believe that if you keep working hard towards it, then it’ll work out. That’s why I’ve been preparing these things one step at a time, and completing my goals one by one, so that when Rudy sees me, one day, he’ll fall in love with me, and we’ll both have our happy endings. Is that really a bad thing?”

“...Yes,” Ruby replied, “Because you’re not taking a second to think about how he’d truly feel about all of this. You’ve been planning all of these things for so long, so I’m sure you have plenty of other intentions. Tell us.”

“If you don’t tell us, you don’t love us,” Nagisa added. “People trust who they love. If you can’t tell us, then you don’t trust us, you don’t like us, and you don’t love us. Then, you’d be a liar.”

“...Okay, then.” Serena took a deep breath and stood against the wall. “...Rudy and the situation of the school weren’t the only things which motivated me to start this plan. When I was younger, I already had a grudge against Kieron from the start.”

“How come?” asked Ruby. “Were you two friends before?”

Nagisa stuck their hand into their pocket and grasped onto their phone.

“Yes,” Serena continued, “We used to talk together a lot. But then, one day, he fell for a girl, and they eventually became a couple. He spent all of his time with her, and stopped talking to me. I wasn’t in love with him, but he was a very precious friend to me. I don’t really understand what happened, but…”

“But?”

“...I felt angry. And because of that, one day, I found out that his girlfriend had a younger sister. On that same day, I found her sister on the rooftop of the school building. That’s when I pushed her.”

“W-Wait…” Ruby gasped and put her hands over her mouth in horror. “D-Did… you push her off the building…?”

“Yes. I killed her, but the police weren’t able to find out the suspect, and the investigation was put to a close. They assumed that she just committed suicide, and so did the rest of her family. Nobody else knows this, except for my brother.”

Ruby took a few steps away from Serena in shock, still attempting to process what she had explained. 

They were standing in front of a murderer.

Despite this scene before their eyes, Nagisa was assured that such a thing was hard to believe. They  _ knew _ .

“I would never do such a thing ever again,” Serena added, “But… only if it’s absolutely necessary, or out of self-defense. I won’t be killing anyone. It’s mainly my brother and the rest of the Debate Club who make such deadly threats, and not me. I’m not like that. But as much as I love all of you, if you’re getting in the way of me and Rudy’s happy ending, then I’ll have no choice but to use extra force. A few injuries would be nothing in that situation. ...Nagisa.” She gave Nagisa a dirty look. “I know how persistent you are. If you get any closer to Rudy, you better prepare for what’s coming to you.”

“No.” Nagisa shook their head and put on a brave face. “Rudy is my best friend. He helped me make friends. He helped me a lot. I’m not leaving him.”

“The fact that you’re even declaring it to my face is somehow even more aggravating.” 

“It’s better than not saying anything at all, you… stalker. Selfish, spoiled child.”

“Quiet.”

“I learned those words for you a long time ago, and I’ll use them again. They’re just for you. It’s exactly who you are.”

“Stop it.”

“...Highschoolers really are scary.”

“Shut up!” Serena lunged at Nagisa and attempted to deliver a punch to their face, but just in the nick of time, Ruby grabbed her wrist and pushed her back.

“You really have nothing to worry about,  _ y’know… _ !” Ruby grunted as she continued to push Serena back, only grasping onto her wrist with increased force. “You’ve spent all of this time worrying about Rudy being stolen from you, but why Nagisa? Just because they started the club with him?” 

“Ugh, you…” Serena eventually gave up and backed away.

“You might’ve been doing your research, and that’s a good thing, but I don’t think Nagisa will be stealing Rudy from you anytime soon. That’s not what they want.” She held Nagisa’s hand and pointed at Serena. “We all love each other a whole lot, and because of that, Nagi wants to do something even better! That’s what makes them amazing!”

“Ruby…” Nagisa bore a soft grin, on the verge of tears.

Ruby only glared at Serena with a smug. “I feel sorry for you. There’s no need to keep worrying about so much. Why don’t you try taking a breather?”

“Y-You!” Serena frustratingly grunted. She didn’t think Ruby would be  _ this  _ much of a smart-ass. “I… I don’t need to listen to you.” Serena stomped away from the couple and opened the door to the Debate Club, closing it shut with a loud  _ thud _ .

“Did you mean that?” asked Nagisa, looking into Ruby’s eyes.

“Of course!” Ruby embraced them in a hug and exclaimed, “That’s what I wanted to say earlier! I’m really proud of you, y’know! I love you!”

“I… love you too.”

“And because I love you, I’m gonna make sure that you’re safe, and that we take care of the Debate Club once and for all. How does that sound?”

“That sounds… awesome.” Nagisa pulled away from the hug. “Yeah… let’s do our best.”

“Heck yeah! So let’s take this girl down!”

Luckily for the both of them (at that moment), Serena was unable to overhear their declarations. However, she already had a plan up her sleeve. Perhaps she was looking a bit  _ too  _ forward to it. But it was all for the Debate Club’s benefit, and especially hers.

Even if the plan were to stumble in its progress, and even if one of her wishes were to shatter, everything would work out just as she had planned it to. 

*****

“Inaya.”

Kaitlyn, dwelling within Inaya’s household, sat beside her, gazing upon the sight of her friend laying down in her bed. 

“Yeah, what’s the matter?” Inaya’s peaceful expression shifted into a faint grimace. “If you’re wondering--” she put her hand near her hand, wincing out of pain.

“You still have that headache?”

“Yeah, but I’m fine, I promise,” she replied in a raspy voice.

“No, you’re not. Inaya, you need to keep resting.”

“But…” she coughed, “What about the others? What about the Debate Club?”

“I can take care of that on my own. We already have everything we need, after all. You need to rest.”

“But I can’t…”

Kaitlyn briefly sighed. “I don’t want you to push yourself this hard anymore. It’s gonna kill you someday.”


End file.
